After the Fall
by CherylB1964
Summary: The sequel to When Angels Fall. Abaddon is dead by her own hand but a threat still hangs over heaven, hell and earth.
1. Chapter 1

The bunker was the very definition of chaos. Angels, demons and pagans all clamored for answers to the battle's abrupt ending. No one understood or trusted that the victory could be that easy. The arrival of the four archangels only turned up the volume.

"Will you all just shut your cakeholes for a minute?" Gabriel growled. "I swear I can't understand a damned thing any one of you is saying!"

"Please, Gabriel has a point. He is the angel of communication, if he can't understand you the rest of certainly cannot." Michael said waiting for the din to quiet down. "Alright, we know that you are confused. This was no victory; it was a rout with no effort on our part. After all of our planning and knowing what Abaddon was capable of; it makes no sense that she would just hand us a victory like this."

"Abaddon chose to take her own life without a fight. Right after saying something about leaving us something to remember her by." Raphael said.

"What does that mean?" Kevin asked.

"I think it would be safe to assume that it means something ominous." Thor said.

"That is exactly what we think." Lucifer agreed. "The question is what?"

Whatever Lucifer would have next was interrupted by the ringing of Dean's phone and the arrival of a flustered Zachariah.

"We have a huge problem." The angel said to the group at the same time Garth was saying the exact same thing to Dean on the phone.

Zachariah placed a hand on Michael's shoulder and stared at him for a few moments. Michael's eyes widened in alarm. "You must be mistaken Zachariah, that's impossible!"

"I wish I were mistaken." Zachariah said. "You can't know how badly I wish I were wrong."

"What?" Gabriel, Lucifer and Raphael all demanded at once.

"Will you asshats keep it down, I'm on the phone!" Dean yelled.

"Shut it Winchester, we've got a serious problem here." Michael shot back.

"Yeah I know. Garth is trying to fill me in right now." Dean said.

"Wait how can he know that all the divinely consecrated places on earth have become unconsecrated?" Michael asked.

"What are you talking about?" Dean was the one confused now. "We have ghosts, ghouls, goblins and every kind of monster you can think of suddenly running amok!"

"I guess we know what the bitch left for us to remember her by now don't we?" Lucifer asked.

* * *

Sam made it as far as the first couch in the bunker before he collapsed. It had been two weeks since Abaddon had killed herself and every hunter they knew of was being run ragged trying to keep the situation under control.

Dean dropped his own duffle then sprawled out next to his brother. He had just closed his eyes when Kevin squashed his hopes for a moment of peace.

"You're back, good." Kevin said. "Garth called. "We've got a vampire attack in Virginia, ghouls overran a group of mourners in Oregon and He thinks there's a siren hunting in Iowa."

"Well there's a couple of zombies in Kansas that haven't slept in 48 hours." Gabriel said as he appeared in a flutter of feathers. "These two are burnt out. Just take a look at Sam."

The younger Winchester was sprawled out where he had plopped down on the couch. His head was thrown back and his mouth was slightly open as a soft snore escaped.

"Yogi Bear is ready to hibernate, no two ways about it." Gabriel smirked then snapped his fingers. A bugle appeared next to the sleeping hunter loudly blasting out Reveille and startling Sam causing him to fall off of the couch as he was rudely jerked out of his nap.

"Dude, not cool." Dean said trying to cover a laugh.

"Relax Boo Boo Bear. I'm here to answer your prayers, even if you haven't exactly prayed yet." Gabriel said unwrapping a lollipop.

"What do you mean answer our prayers?" Sam asked with a yawn.

"Well on the one hand, you guys are pretty much running on fumes like every other hunter out there." Gabriel said. "And on the other hand, you've got an entire town full of people who have gotten a taste of the hunting life and now they can't turn a blind eye to what is happening. They want to be involved."

"No. They're civilians. We're not going to drag them into this." Dean said.

"Look Deano, they may not have grown up shooting at the monster in the closet, but they are not inept either." Gabriel said. "Abaddon dragged them into this by attacking Lebanon and those people sucked it up and came out fighting. And they are ready to fight now." Gabriel pulled the empty paper stick from his mouth and waved it in the general direction of the humans.

"Besides, aren't you the one saying the research is wiping you out?" Gabriel asked. "Some of them could take over the research so you could at least get a few hours downtime between hunts."

"You say that like you have someone in mind." Sam noted.

"I do. And they have the perfect background and experience to not only help with the research, but also to help get this place cataloged. Dad knows we hear you complaining about not being able to find shit all the time." Gabriel said.

"So you want us to hire one of them as a secretary?" Dean snorted.

Gabriel started to laugh then coughed as a piece of his lollipop went down his windpipe. "With what? Hunting doesn't exactly rake in the big bucks. No more like accept a volunteer, her name is Gertrude Skinner."

* * *

Uriel found himself actually beginning to feel a bit of admiration for these mud monkeys even if he would never admit it. Uriel was impressed with the way the humans had handled themselves. With little more than a hasty instruction on exorcism and a brief explanation of a few basic demonic repellants; they had fended off the attack by Abaddon's army of demons.

A tiny smile graced his normally dour countenance as he entered Michael's heavenly presence.

"Uriel, what brings you into my presence? And with a smile on your face too." Michael asked.

"Gabriel has gone to speak with the Winchesters. I have spoken to the mayor of Lebanon, the residents are eager to be involved with the continuing struggle against this incursion of the supernatural that Abaddon caused with her death spell." Uriel said.

"Good." Michael nodded. "Have any of the hunters become aware of the situation yet?"

"No. They still believe it is just Abaddon's minions wreaking havoc. They have no idea of the true damage that has been done." Uriel said. "But like Gabriel, I fear the Winchesters will soon discover the situation that we now face."

"We all fear that moment, but if we can contain the knowledge we will do so; by whatever means necessary." Michael ordered.

"And I still think that would be a mistake." Lucifer said as he entered the room. "Neither Sam nor Dean will be forgiving of our subterfuge. It would be better to inform them now. Both Gabriel and Raphael agree with me."

"I'm aware of that. I will order you as I have ordered them to remain silent." Michael said.

"And when this comes back to bite you in the ass, I will say 'I told you so'." Lucifer countered.

"Do you plan to fall back into your old ways so easily?" Uriel asked. "Let there be peace between you, we have grown accustomed to it. Do not repeat the mistakes of the past."

Michael took a deep breath to calm himself. "You are right Uriel; I do not wish to visit unrest on the host." He turned to Lucifer, "I will explain my reasoning to you."

"That would be appreciated, maybe if I understood your motives it would help." Lucifer agreed.

"Uriel I would speak with Lucifer in private." Michael said and waited until the seraph had left. "We are only now discovering the real purpose behind Abaddon's spell, it's not good."

"Demon spells rarely are." Lucifer said. "So there is more to this than every bit of human trash rising from their now unconsecrated graves?"

"Much more Luce. The ones rising from the graves are sacrifices." Michael scrubbed a tired hand across his face. "Every time the Winchesters and the rest of the hunters put down another one of the walking dead serial killers, murderers or rapists they are feeding power into Abaddon's spell.

It is meant to raise the nephilim."

"Well shit. They can't let the bastards run wild preying on the innocent but they can't take them out either." Lucifer realized.

"And when they put them back down they come back after a period of time because the ground is unconsecrated." Michael noted.

"What do our brothers say about this, do they have any ideas?" Lucifer glared at Michael's silence. "You haven't told them have you? Michael Raphael and Gabriel are younger than us but they are Archangels just as we are. Don't you think it's time to treat them like our equals? I think they more than proved themselves worthy of that in helping to open heaven after Metatron's little meltdown don't you?"

"They are our younger brothers; I don't want to put more on their shoulders than they are already carrying. Raphael is busy tending to the injured angels out trying to round up Gemini and Gabriel is busy working with Uriel and the hunters." Michael said.

"Still they should be made aware." Lucifer said. "We all need to know what it is that we face."


	2. Chapter 2

"Did you try cutting off its head? Well try fire, if that doesn't work then try running really, really fast." Garth said as he disconnected the call.

"Hunter?" The young waitress asked as she refilled his coffee.

Garth gave her a wary look. "What makes you think that?"

"Let's see; you're in Lebanon Kansas, a town that was almost overrun by demons a couple of weeks ago. Then there's the fact that you're dressed like you live out of your car but you answered your phone claiming to be an FBI agent; take your pick." She grinned. "But mostly because this reservation was made by Uriel. I figure if you're dining with an angel there's a reason for it."

"Oh. I guess you guys would pay attention to strangers coming into town after Abaddon tried to possess everybody." Garth said. "I just don't understand why I'm here."

"Well kiddo, I'm about to explain that for you." Gabriel said appearing in the booth across from him.

"I don't think I'll ever get used to how you angels do that." The waitress said. "Can I get you anything or are you going to give me the 'I am an angel of the Lord and I do not require sustenance' speech?"

"Sounds like you've met my brother Castiel." Gabriel chuckled. "I may not require sustenance, but there's no law that says I can't enjoy it. I think a slice of that 7 layer chocolate cake and a big strawberry milkshake would hit the spot."

"Aha! You must be Gabriel. Uriel warned us that you had a serious sweet tooth. Coming right up." She said and went to place the order.

"So I'll get straight to the point, the fine citizens of Lebanon had the bad luck of being the town closest to the spot The Men of Letters chose to locate their main information repository. That's why Abaddon dumped a shitload of demons in their laps." The archangel said. "But their bad luck is a blessing for hunters here in the US. They know what's hiding in the dark so they want to do something, to be a part of protecting the masses from things that go bump in the night."

"Okay but what do you need me for? Sam and Dean are pretty much residents now." Garth said.

"They are the ones sitting on the knowledge and we have plans where they are concerned. The thing is some people want to be more involved, to become hunters themselves. That's where you come in kiddo. They need someone to teach them." Gabriel paused as the waitress returned with his order. "We've managed to cover most of the bases but they need practical experience learning from a hunter that knows what they are doing. That's where you come in."

"What, like on the job training?" Garth asked.

"That works." Gabriel said as he slurped his shake. "The truth is that hunters have never really had any kind of training unless you guys managed to find a Bobby to hook up with or like my two favorite chuckleheads, had a father that had gone head over heels obsessive with hunting down a demon. So the life expectancy of hunters is shit. We want to change that. Not to mention having an organized structure for research will make getting through a hunt faster and easier."

"I guess you have a point." Garth said. "I'm in. Oh and by the way, your teeth are going to rot out of your head."

"Huh?" Gabriel asked confused at the abrupt change of subject.

"All that sugar, it's bad for your teeth." Garth said. "You really should floss and brush about ten times a day."

"I'm an angel you ass. We don't have to worry about tooth decay." Gabriel sputtered. "What's it to you anyway?"

"I was a dentist before I started hunting and you angels might not need to worry about tooth decay but if you are going to be hanging around down here you might want to think about the example you will be setting." Garth grinned then stood up, pulled the angel to his feet and enveloped him in a hug. "I need to go. I'm on the trail of a ruguru and Inias thinks he figured out where it's hiding.

Gabriel stood there flabbergasted.

* * *

Dean made his way into the bunker's kitchen following the smell of fresh brewed coffee and an underlying hint of cinnamon. Entering the room he blinked in confusion at the small woman setting a plate in front of Sam.

Sam was grinning from ear to ear and even Kevin was stuffing his face. Dean's normally suspicious nature took a backseat to his growling stomach and watering mouth.

The elderly woman looked over at the hunter standing in the doorway. "Well are you just going to stand there or come get some breakfast before these two bottomless pits eat all the cinnamon toast?"

"Dean this is Gertrude. Gabriel dropped her off earlier to help with organizing all this information and to help out with research." Sam said around a mouthful of toast.

"Just call me Gertie. I was the head librarian for the town for 30 years. Lebanon has seven branches in the Public Library system and I oversaw all of them. I figure I can get this place into shape." She said.

"Librarian huh?" Dean said as he pulled out a chair and sat down. "So what's with the breakfast?"

"Gabriel also may have mentioned you boys haven't exactly been taking care of yourselves. It wasn't part of the deal but once a mother always a mother. I figure it will keep me in shape for when the grandchildren visit." Gertrude said. "Now eat up and you can give me a tour after breakfast."

* * *

"Gabriel, Michael has called a meeting of the Archangels." Castiel said. "He has ordered me to assist Uriel in organizing the residents of Lebanon."

Gabriel snapped his fingers and a rolled parchment appeared. "This is a list of the residents Uriel and I decided on." Gabriel said and handed the document to the seraph. He turned and started down the hall then paused and turned back to face the seraph. "Oh and make sure that the garrison there understands that there will be hell to pay if they get smite happy with Meg or Spicy, Lucifer will have their balls on a silver platter."

Castiel cocked his head to the side, a sure indicator that he was confused.

"Never mind," Gabriel said. "Just make sure they understand that those two particular demons are under the protection of the archangels."

Castiel gave a nod of understanding and Gabriel entered the war room to find the other archangels already gathered. "Sorry I'm late, I had to deliver a surprise to the Three Stooges."

"Three Stooges?" Michael frowned in confusion.

"You know; vessel 1, vessel 2 and mini-prophet." Gabriel stretched his wings for a moment then sat down. "So what is so Cosmos shatteringly important that you had to call an urgent meeting Mikey?"

"I also await the answer to that question brother." Raphael added.

"Let's just say it has been brought to my attention that I am perhaps a bit 'overprotective'." Michael answered complete with air quotes.

"What Michael is trying to say without actually saying it, is that it's time we recognize the fact that you two are all grown up and treat you like it." Lucifer said. "Mike here thinks he still needs to treat you like a couple of teenagers. We can't afford that; to throw your words back at you Gabriel, time to grow up."

"Call me dense, but you've lost me." Gabriel said.

"What we are trying to say is that over the years we have always tried to keep the worst of things from you and deal with them ourselves. But know that we have discovered Abaddon's intent, it is no longer possible." Michael said. "We are looking at another Cleansing."

"Impossible!" Raphael exclaimed. "Abaddon was the last of the nephilim, they no longer exist!"

"We know the purpose of her death spell now. The unconsecration of divine ground canceled out the divine blessing on all consecrated ground in the western hemisphere. That's why all those in the deepest pits of hell are being reanimated." Lucifer said. "And every time a hunter sends one back, the death magic adds to the power of her spell."

* * *

Jody spun around to face the demon that had appeared in the passenger seat next to her. "Hello darling."

"What do you want Crowley?" She demanded.

"To gaze upon your lovely face?" He offered.

"Crowley." She growled.

"Can't blame me for trying." He sighed then held out a rolled parchment.

"I'm not making a deal with you!" She yelled.

"You can relax it's not a deal, it's a job offer." Crowley said. "My conscience wouldn't let me make a deal to take advantage you even if I wanted to. And if that didn't stop me, the threat of the moose going blue eyed on me would."

"What do you mean a job offer?" Jody asked.

"Well it seems the pigeons, including my boss Lucifer have decided to take advantage of the fact that everyone in Lebanon Kansas is now aware of the supernatural and create a consolidated power base there complete with a garrison." Crowley explained. "As you might guess, this will lead to some unique problems for the town. They decided that you've been around enough hunters to make you the only qualified candidate for sheriff."

"I already have a job." Jody said.

"I told them that but you try telling the arch-pigeons they can't have something that they want." Crowley sighed. "I will tell you this darling if there is anything you want; ask for it. They will accept pretty much any terms you put forth. You have them over the barrel as far as negotiations are concerned. They will make it worth your while. I'd suggest reading the offer to see what's already on the table since I took the liberty of negotiating a few perks and a large bonus for you."

"What bonus?" Jody asked but not quickly enough, the demon was gone. She unrolled the parchment and scanned the offer her eyes widening when she discovered exactly what that bonus was, the resurrection of her son.

* * *

"Michael, this is a joke right? Zach just misinterpreted the signs yeah, that's what happened." Gabriel said shaken.

"When have you known Zachariah to make a mistake brother?" Michael asked. "No his conclusion is the right one. Abaddon's spell is meant to resurrect the nephilim. One has already risen."

"And what about humanity? They are going to be caught in the middle of this mess." Gabriel pointed out.

"Why do you think we are putting so much effort into little Lebanon? So we have a central point for the defense of the little cockroaches. There needs to at least be a handful that will be able to see beyond the nephilim's charade." Lucifer said. "They are part angel and they can easily appear as 'divine' beings. It won't take much for them to take over the world."

"Brothers, I just had a thought." Raphael said. "This spell is meant to resurrect nephilim; Abaddon was a nephilim before she became a hell knight. Will she also resurrect?"

"It is the conclusion that Zachariah has come to and I agree with him. Abaddon has ensured that she will return to this plane of existence and she will bring an army with her." Michael noted.

* * *

"I cannot believe that grace filled dickwad has ordered us here." Spicy grumbled. "I was doing just fine with my office in hell and now here I am topside again."

"Oh I don't know," Meg said as she spied Castiel. "It might not be so bad."

Spicy followed Meg's line of sight. "I should have known that was why you volunteered for this, Castiel. You do know you've got it bad for an angel right?"

"Like you aren't simpering up to an archangel." Meg spat back.

"I am not! I'm just assisting our king as I am capable of assisting him." Spicy protested.

"You plot to spend as much time jammed up under him as possible and when you can't, you're buttering up Sam so he'll put in a good word for you." Meg snorted.

"Don't look now, but your boyfriend is headed this way." Spicy smirked.

"Hello Meg. Hello Spicy." Castiel greeted the demons.

"Hey Clarence, I thought you were on Dummy detail?" Meg said. "Who decided to let the Winchesters run around unsupervised?"

"Michael assigned me here to assist with training the residents; Gabriel has made other arrangements for Dean and Sam." The seraph answered.

"Well I'll just leave you two alone to catch up." Spicy said then whispered to Meg "I hear angel food cake is pretty good if you're into that type. Very virtuous you know." Then cackled as Meg made a half-hearted swipe in her direction.

"Devil's food Spicy, devil's food." Meg smirked as Spicy headed off toward the City Hall building. "So Clarence, I guess it's going to be the two of us again."


	3. Chapter 3

Balthazar wrinkled his nose. "Ugh! How anyone can stand the smell of the swamp is beyond all understanding."

"It smells like home brother." Benny said. He pointed at a weather beaten clapboard building. "That's it."

"This is your great-granddaughter's diner? It looks like a stiff breeze would blow it over." Balthazar said then heard the building groan as it shifted due to a minute tremor in the ground. "No I take that back, forget the stiff breeze. All it would take is the big bad wolf to huff and puff, that death trap will go down faster than the house made of straw."

"It may not look like much but that place has been standing since I was just a little tyke. It's outlasted two world wars and more than its fair share of hurricanes." Benny said. Benny seemed hesitant to go any closer.

"What are we waiting for?" Balthazar asked. "You said you wanted to bring Elizabeth back to Lebanon so she would be safe."

"I do. It's just that the last time she saw me, she was terrified of me. I killed a man in front of her." Benny said. "Then I left without giving her an explanation. She probably won't want to see me."

"From what I've heard, she's a smart young woman. You may just be selling her short. You might be surprised. But you'll never know until you talk to her." Balthazar said pulling the screen door open and holding it for the vampire.

Benny took a deep breath and stepped inside. Looking around he saw the place was empty save a young couple sharing a slice of pecan pie. He looked toward the counter and found himself staring at a familiar pair of eyes.

"Roy?" Elizabeth questioned as she broke into a smile. "Roy!" She flew around the counter and grabbed the vampire in a hug. "I didn't think I would ever see you again! Dean said you weren't coming back. I never got the chance to thank you for saving me from that psycho."

"I wasn't planning to come back but you know I'll never let anything happen to you." Benny said.

Elizabeth laid a hand on his arm. "I know. Dean told me who you are, what you are. He helped me to understand what happened."

"He shouldn't have done that." Benny said.

"Don't be mad at him. He didn't want me to hate you for what happened. I couldn't hate you; you risked your life to save me." She said with a tremor. "When you laid your head on that counter risking that crazy man cutting it off you looked at me and I saw something in your eyes but I didn't understand it. Not until Dean told me that I was your blood, your great-granddaughter."

"Well now that we've had this loving family reunion," Balthazar interrupted. "This isn't a social call. Your great-granddaddy here came to take you away from here so say your goodbyes to Louisiana. I do have other duties you know."

"Who are you? What does he mean take me away?" Elizabeth turned to Benny.

"Something has happened and you're in danger. I can't protect you if you stay here." Benny said. "That man, Martin? He was nothing compared to what may be coming for you now."

Elizabeth looked between the two, confused. "I don't understand. I can't just up and leave."

"Yes you can and you will." Balthazar said. "Not only is Benny asking you, I'm telling you." Balthazar straightened to his full height and began generating a glow that cast the shadows of two large impressive wings on the wall.

"What are you?" Benny wrapped his arms around the young woman who had instinctively thrown herself onto his arms for protection.

"Elizabeth, meet Balthazar; full time pain in the ass and part time angel of the Lord.

* * *

"Well," Gertrude said as she settled into a seat at the conference table. "This is an extremely extensive and eclectic collection you have here. I suppose the easiest thing is to sort it first into Judeo-Christian, Pagan, Demonic and Monster categories. Then we can further sort from there."

"That sounds like a lot of work, can't we like just sort it all at once?" Dean asked.

"Believe me in the long run you will thank me. It will be much easier to go to a clearly labelled section and then to a subsection to find what you want rather than searching for what you want through dozens of tomes that may or may not hold the information you are looking for." Gertrude explained. "Dewey's system was good in its time but very few of these books and scrolls can be identified by author so a more clearly defined system will be easier to work with."

"So where do we start?" Sam asked proving his nerdiness was still fully intact.

"Kevin find something to write with. Sam you'll help me pull the volumes and Dean I think we'll have you do the heavy lifting." She said just as there was the sound of an alarm. "Good Gabriel and Uriel's security system works. That will be some of my summer interns coming to lend a hand."

* * *

Jody sat in her office and eyed the scroll. It's not every day a person gets offered a job by angels. She knew what Crowley said was in the scroll but that didn't mean that the angels would honor it. True they had been helpful with the Abaddon situation, but Jody couldn't help but think there was more to this. Not to mention the fact that Dean constantly referred to them as feathered asshats, douches and a variety of other less flattering descriptions.

She needed to talk to someone for advice, someone familiar with them but fairly unbiased. She picked up the phone and dialed Sam's number. When it flipped over to voicemail, she gave a sigh and hung up. She then dialed another number. As soon as it was picked up on the other end Jody spoke, "Hi Spicy have you got a minute? I need some advice."

"I've always got time for you girlfriend, what's up?" The demon appeared in the seat across the desk startling the sheriff into dropping the phone.

"Now I get why Dean is always complaining about Cas just appearing out of thin air." Jody said dryly.

"In my defense, you did call. Now tell me what has your fruit of the looms in a twist?" Spicy said.

Jody regarded the demon for a moment. "You'll keep this between us, right? No offense, I mean you are a demon after all."

Spicy burst out laughing. "No offense taken. Don't worry Jody. I was a queen before I was a demon and if there's one thing you can count on from a queen it's the fact that we are loyal to our friends. And we pick our friends by respect. Now you just tell your fairy drag-mother Spicy all about it."

"I got a job offer, from the Archangels. I don't know what to do about it." Jody admitted. "Hell, I don't even know why I got it."

"Well I can tell you why they offered it to you, Crowley." Spicy said. "He recommended you. There are some ambitious plans in the works. I'll be honest, Crowley has a big soft spot where you're concerned, but putting your name out there as a candidate makes a lot of sense too."

"What is going on, Spicy?" Jody asked.

"Let's just say the Abaddon situation gave the angels a glimpse of what could be. We had an entire town not only aware of the supernatural, but banding together to fight it." Spicy explained. "That's never happened before. Now that these people have had their eyes opened there's no going back. They want to be involved. But with a town full of people who know, there's bound to be some unusual situations. Situations that will throw an uninformed cop for a loop, but you could take in stride. That's what Crowley sold them on."

"So Crowley got me a job offer simply because I was unlucky enough to know about the supernatural?" Jody asked.

"Well that and the fact that he's sweet on you." Spicy smirked.


	4. Chapter 4

"Raphael, did you have enough time to memorize the genetic composition of your last vessel, the one that Castiel destroyed?" Michael asked his brother.

"My time with her was adequate, yes." Raphael answered curiously.

"Good, show me." Lucifer demanded placing a hand on his brother's shoulder. A moment later and brother had been changed to sister. "Perfect, but your attire needs changing."

"Lucifer! What is the purpose of changing my vessel? I was content with it as it was before." Raphael sputtered.

"Abaddon is only familiar with your male vessel. If she has managed to locate any of the others before they resurrect, her description of you would be in that male vessel." Michael said as if it made perfect sense.

"I still fail to grasp why Lucifer has taken it upon himself to change my vessel." Raphael protested.

"Because Zachariah has located the first of the resurrected nephilim and they will run away as fast as they can from our ugly assed male vessels, sis." A new voice belonging to a petite blonde who pranced in on 5 inch stiletto heeled boots interrupted. "At least that's what Luci thinks. Don't worry we can change back after we've caught the little half breed."

"Gabriel, do you not realize the purpose of changing your vessel is not to call attention to yourself?" Michael sputtered.

Gabriel glanced down at the bustier, daisy dukes and thigh high boots all in shiny black patent leather. "Eh talk to Luci's girlfriend. Personally I think I look hot. I'd do me." The trickster waggled his eyebrows suggestively. "Hell Deano has already hit on me twice. Sam thinks it's hilarious."

Lucifer snorted. "I can't wait to see the look on his face when he finally finds out who you are."

"It will be priceless. But for now Spicy is waiting to get her hands on Raphael. Don't worry, I explained that you're an anal retentive prude. I wear this well, you would be too worried that someone might catch a glimpse of ass cheek to pull off this look." Gabriel said.

"Well you certainly don't have that problem." Raphael said "So much of your nether regions are revealed that the whole world can see paradise without even trying."

"Don't hate cause I'm beautiful." Gabriel smirked and tossed his long blonde hair over his shoulder. "Get your ass over to Spicy and let her get you all dolled up." Gabriel frowned again "Although in your case I'd suggest she settle for presentable."

"Gabriel, be nice." Lucifer scolded. "Raphael can't help it if he's the homely one."

"Well we can't all shine brighter than a supernova," Raphael countered "That is why some of us developed a winning personality."

"Only when you are in competition with Zachariah." Lucifer snorted.

"You know that's not saying much right?" Gabriel smirked as he grabbed Raphael by the arm to drag her from the room. "Compared to Zachariah, the Grinch has a winning personality."

* * *

"What are we waiting for?" Garth complained yet again. "It's just a rugaru, it only takes a flamethrower to kill it."

"It stands to reason that the now deceased Ira Jenkins also believed that this creature would be easily subdued and yet he found his death at this creature's hands." Inias explained. "Like us, he was mistaken in identifying this particular threat. It is not just a rugaru, it is something much older and more dangerous. Your safety is dependent on us how do you put it, having a bigger dog in the fight."

"Inias! That's no way to talk about Raphael."

Garth's eyes were drawn to two women who had just appeared in the clearing. The one that had spoken was petite and blonde and looking like she had stepped right out of an S & M porno. All she needed was a crop to complete the image. The other was dark skinned and dressed like a schoolmarm. The scowl on her face brought back memories of detention for the jovial hunter.

Inias immediately bowed to the dark skinned woman profusely apologizing for the insult. The woman gave a huff. "Oh stop it Inias, I know you meant no offense to me. Gabriel is just being an assbutt."

"Gabriel? Raphael?" Garth gaped at the two. "But you are male."

"Actually we aren't kiddo. Didn't the Winchesters tell you? We're junkless, it really doesn't matter what sex our vessels are." Gabriel said. "I actually like being girly as much as I like being manly."

"Although in the spirit of full disclosure," Raphael said, "I suppose that I should let you know that humans are also as Gabriel says, junkless since genitalia is a characteristic of the physical body which is nothing more than a temporary condition."

"You might not want to say that around too many humans, Raph. They are kind of attached to their junk." Gabriel smirked. "It makes them feel macho. Anyhoo, Inias where is he? I'd like to snag him and bag him in time to get back to see Dr. Sexy you know."

"Uh guys, I'm kind of lost here. Why are you so interested in a rugaru?" Garth asked then corrected himself. "Or something that acts like a rugaru."

"I guess Inias let the cat out of the bag. It's something with the potential to be much worse than a rugaru." Gabriel said. "It's a nephilim."

"A what?" Garth asked. "You mean like half angel?"

"The offspring of a human mother and an angel inhabiting a male vessel." Raphael explained. "These creatures have neither soul nor grace, but rather a corrupted combination of the two. Long before civilization arose, these beings roamed the earth. They were cleansed on the order of God."

"Cleansed?" Garth asked.

"It sounds a lot better than genocide. That's what it really boils down to. A systemic and what we assumed was thorough elimination of the species." Gabriel said with disgust.

"Have you not yet seen enough proof of their evil nature Gabriel? Do you yet doubt Father's wisdom?" Raphael demanded.

"I have seen proof of Abaddon's evil nature and the evil nature of a handful more." Gabriel snorted. "I have not seen proof that they are all equally evil."

"How is it that you remain so soft-hearted and naïve Gabriel?" Raphael sighed. "Even Lucifer can see the threat that they now possess."

"I can see the threat Raphael." Gabriel said shortly. "I just wonder how much of that threat was already there and how much we caused by exterminating them like vermin. I guess you were deaf to their pleas for mercy when they had done nothing to deserve the butchering heaven brought down on them. We slaughtered innocents who had done nothing, just on the off chance that they might have done something down the line. It was bullshit."

"Gabriel, your blasphemy is uncalled for! How dare you question Father's will and refer to it in such a vulgar manner!" Raphael sputtered.

"Maybe if you had grown a spine and taken the time to question it, your dumbass wouldn't have gotten splattered across the cosmos by Castiel!" Gabriel shot back.

"Brothers, please. Do not fight among yourselves." Inias spoke up carefully. After all he was getting between two arguing archangels. "The nephilim is nearby."

Gabriel took a deep breath and glared at Raphael. "We will finish this later Raphael."

"I look forward to it, Gabriel." Raphael glared right back.

"So are we going after the nephilim now?" Garth asked carefully.

"Raphael, Inias and I are going after the nephilim. You're going to the bunker with Sam and Dean. Tell them to get Metatron's old cell ready." Gabriel snapped his fingers sending the startled hunter away.

* * *

"Okay, this is the last one, hopefully." Dean said as he sat another box full of books, ledgers and scrolls on the table and stretched to work the kinks out of his back.

"So much for there not being any lore on angels." Sam said setting another scroll on top of the pile designated 'Archangels'. "Bobby would have loved this."

"Yeah, he would have." Dean said as he picked up a rolled papyrus sheet. "So all this is angel lore?"

"We think so. We'll have to get one of the angels to translate, though." Kevin said. "I can only pick up symbols here and there.

"If you need a translator, why didn't you just say so?" Crowley said as he entered the room. He sat his tumbler of Craig on the table and grabbed the papyrus from Dean unrolling it. After a few moments of scanning the document, the demon burst out laughing.

"What's so funny?" Dean demanded.

"Let's just say my boss has a sense of humor after all and leave it at that." Crowley said with a chuckle. I would hate for him to find out that I told a group of humans that he gave you meat suits the plans for the Tower of Babel."

"So what's funny about that?" Sam asked.

"Originally it was supposed to be built out of stone." Crowley said as if that explained everything.

"I still don't get it." Dean said.

"Lucifer convinced them that fresh cattle dung would be a better building material. He even made sure that it would stand for a while." Crowley chuckled. "Imagine the looks on their faces when it collapsed around them."

"So Lucifer convinced people to build a big pile of shit?" Dean whistled. "No wonder we call him the devil."

The group was interrupted by the appearance of Garth who blinked in confusion at his surroundings.

"Uh, Garth? What are you doing here?" Sam asked. "I thought you were off hunting a rugaru?"

Garth reached out and pulled the closest person in arms reach into hug. "Gabriel snapped me here. It wasn't a rugaru I was hunting. It was a nephilim."

"The nephilim are all dead. Abaddon was the last one and she ganked herself." Dean protested.

"Would someone please tell this oaf that I'm not a teddy bear!" Crowley squeaked as he struggled in the hunter's embrace.

"Are you sure it was a nephilim?" Sam asked as he peeled Crowley out of Garth's arms only to find himself now trapped by the human octopus known as Garth Fitzgerald. Sam glared pleadingly at his brother over Garth's shoulder.

"Garth you officially passed weird about thirty seconds ago, you're getting into the 'I want to get married and have your babies' phase." Dean said.

Garth unwrapped his limbs, gave Sam a nod, and then gave him a hard manly slap on the back causing the hunter to stumble forward before he caught his balance. Sam quickly sidestepped the hunter to sit down at the table while Crowley took a spot beside Sam's chair.

"Crowley what are you doing?" Sam asked as he shifted his chair to the side only to have Crowley shift with him.

"Feudal law moose. You are the 'Boy King and that makes me your subject." Crowley said. "As my liege lord I'm entitled to your protection, especially from Squidly over there."

"Squidly? Seriously?" Dean snorted.

"Castiel, Meg, Spicy and I watch Hanna-Barberra cartoons in our down time. So sue us." Crowley said as he brushed imaginary lint from his jacket.

Dean was about to make another snide comment when the sound of rustling feathers distracted him announcing the arrival of Raphael, Gabriel, Inias and a strange man who studied the Winchesters intently. The stranger spoke after a few seconds. "You lied! You said there were no other nephilim."

"Karel, meet Sam and Dean Winchester and they are not nephilim." Gabriel said. "They are vessels."

"Vessels?" The stranger looked confused.

"Humans descended from nephilim. Born to contain the grace of angels." Raphael said. "These two happen to be very special vessels. Born to contain the grace of Lucifer and Michael, respectively."

"Lucifer and Michael?" The nephilim nodded. "No wonder Abaddon ordered us to seek out and destroy them. It would prevent the oldest from walking the earth."

"Actually that ship sailed a while ago." Gabriel snorted. "Sam has already said yes. Lucifer knows his genetic sequence and Michael has gotten both their sire John and a brother named Adam Milligan to say yes. So they can both recreate those vessels at will. All Abaddon did was to resurrect you to be slaughtered all over again."


	5. Chapter 5

Dean stood up and made his way over to the blond. "So did you finish your important mission? We could get out of here. Go for a ride, I've got a car collection you wouldn't believe." The blond smirked and shook her head. "You really don't want to go for a ride with little old me."

"Sure I do. I could put in a good word for you with your boss. Get him to give you a little time off." Dean pulled out his most charming smile.

"Really?" Gabriel asked flashing a flirtatious smile right back at him. "You don't know my boss. He's a real hardass."

"Which one of those feathered dicks do you report to? Michael? Lucifer? Please don't tell me it's that sawed off runt of a trickster." Dean said as the blond shook her head no at the mention of each name.

"None of the above actually. I report directly to the big man himself." Gabriel said.

Dean frowned. "I thought all of the angels were under one of the archangels?"

"They are." Gabriel said with a knowing smile.

"Well I thought I knew all of the archangels?" Dean was frowning even harder now. He was getting dangerously close to a bitchface when the blond grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled him close for a hot, wet, messy kiss.

She gave him a bright and somewhat mischievous smile then vanished.

Sam gave up trying to hide his laughter. "Dean come on. Stop trying to bag another angel before you get yourself smote."

Whatever Dean was about to say got caught in his throat when Lucifer and Michael suddenly appeared in front of him.

Lucifer had an expectant look on his face while Michael just seemed resigned. "Lucifer are you sure that this is necessary?"

"Of course it is, and as the eldest you are the head of the family when the old man isn't around." Lucifer gave Michael a push in Dean's direction. "Go on, do your duty. You are supposed to defend your sister's honor."

Michael's face grew determined at the mention of 'duty' and he stepped over to the table. "Dean I would like a word with you."

"Uh oh." Crowley said. "Looks like a pigeon is about to poop on your parade Winchester."

"Crowley," Lucifer growled, "Shut up or better yet visit a zoo. You are obsessed with the fauna of this world. Please Michael continue, there will be no more interruptions."

"As Lucifer has said, it is my duty as the eldest brother to insist that you cease making advances toward my sisters. You have already defiled Anael." Michael said.

Sam snorted. "Seriously Dean, you really want to listen to Michael. This is one slice of angel food cake you definitely don't want a bite of."

The flutter of feathers announced the arrival of the two strange angels. Well strange to Dean although everyone else was in on the joke.

Raphael let out a disgusted breath. "Michael just tell the mud monkey to cease his efforts to seduce Gabriel and be done with it."

Gabriel giggled his laugh becoming masculine as he morphed back into his more familiar vessel. "I have to tell you Deano, those were some of the worst pickup lines I have ever heard."

Dean's mouth was opening and closing like a fish as he processed the fact that Gabriel had kissed him. Then he processed the amount of tongue involved in the kiss. The hunter was busy wiping his mouth on the sleeve of his jacket.

"Let this be a lesson kiddo, never think with your dick when there's a trickster around." Gabriel said. "And stop being a drama queen. I didn't give you cooties."

"May we be serious now?" Raphael interjected as the others laughed and Dean glared at Gabriel. "We have acquired one of the nephilim and we waste time with this foolishness."

The group quieted and the laughter stopped.

"Raphael is correct, we waste time better spent discovering Abaddon's plans." Michael said. "Did the nephilim reveal anything to you?"

"Well they can't tell vessels from other nephilim." Gabriel said. "Oh and Abby is under the impression that you two still need them to wander around down here."

"She doesn't know that we have acquired the genetic codes necessary to recreate them if we so desire?" Michael asked.

"More a case of she doesn't know it's possible. I didn't tell her everything about us." Lucifer said. "There were some things that I kept to myself, self-preservation you know?"

"He has asked to speak to Lucifer. He does not seem to be as rabidly loyal to Abaddon as one would expect him to be." Raphael noted. "Nor has Abaddon issued any orders beyond finding and killing the vessels."

"But the fact that they don't know a vessel from a nephilim could work on our favor." Gabriel said. "It will be kind of hard for them to kill what they can't find."

* * *

"Virgil, long time, no see." Ellen said as she placed a beer in front of the seraph.

"Abaddon had kept us busy but she has ended her human life. She plots now to raise the nephilim but in the mean time she has put a resurrection spell in place that is raising every human monster that ever lived." Virgil answered. "I have been ordered to resurrect a few of you with your grace intact to deal with this issue."

"Resurrection spell?" Ellen frowned.

"A powerful one. Every time one of these abominations is killed, they simply come back after a while." Virgil explained. "It has gotten so bad that the hunters get out of bed in the morning and look at a list to see who may be due for resurrection so that they can be present when it happens to immediately remove them from life before they can cause harm."

"So who are you planning on resurrecting?" Ellen asked.

"Let's just say the archangels insist on a family reunion." Virgil said setting down his beer as Henry, John and Mary came through the door.

"Virgil, what are you doing here?" Mary asked. "I thought you were all on some kind of high alert."

"We are, but I have been charged with an important task." Virgil answered. "A series of resurrections; the archangels have decided that our current problem would be best handled by Winchesters."

"Who do you plan to resurrect?" Henry asked and what exactly do the head honchos have in mind?"

"You will continue as you have been Henry. They have located a librarian to get the collection of information that has been amassed organized." Virgil said then turned to John. "Some of your most successful hunts were accomplished when it was you and your sons working together. They wish for you to hunt with you sons once again. Mary will work with the angels and demons in Lebanon training the townspeople in hunting."

"With everything that demons have done to my family, you expect me to work with them?" Mary snorted.

"No Mary, he expects nothing. We expect it." Lucifer said as he appeared in the roadhouse. "You are being given a rare gift, one that not only benefits you but will benefit Sam and Dean also. They were robbed of their mother at a too early age. I for one would like to see that corrected. And John, your name is still infamous in hell, the man who could not be broken. We all now accept that there is something about you Winchesters. Your family has thumbed your noses at the sisters of fate more than once."

"That doesn't change the fact that you want us to work with demons." John said backing up his wife.

"They may be demons, but they are allied with heaven. They have gained the trust of Sam and Dean." Lucifer took a deep breath. "Perhaps it is time to reveal something to you, about Sam."

"What about Sam?" Mary asked.

"Let me guess, Sam is part demon." Bobby said interrupting Lucifer before he could respond.

"What do you mean he's part demon?" Mary asked as Lucifer refused to deny it.

"I know what Azazel told you when you made the deal to save Dean, John Winchester. He told you about Sam's destiny, you knew then that he was the chosen one, Hell's Boy King. You knew than that eventually he would become a demon. That's why you warned Dean that he might one day have to kill his brother." Lucifer shook his head. "Dean has learned to accept his brother, even knowing what he is. Sam has taken his rightful place in hell, second in power only to me. And yes, he is a demon, a blue eyed demon. Demons have nightmares about Sam, but he is also a guardian just like Dean and every hunter in this garrison.

When the time comes and they finally die and stay dead, they will join you here in this garrison. Sam will spend half of his time here and the other half ruling hell. The demons you will be working with are those that make up his inner circle. The new generation of hell knights who have sworn loyalty to Sam. They are as determined to see Abaddon removed from existence as any angel in heaven."

* * *

Dean, eyes half closed with sleep, walked into a wall on his way to the kitchen. No, not a wall; but a stunned Sam who stood in the doorway blinking in disbelief.

"Mary you are going to spoil them." John Winchester said as he sipped from a coffee cup. "They are grown men, not little boys that need their mommy to make them breakfast."

"Oh shut up. I never really had a chance to spoil them, and god knows you never did." Mary said turning around to see her sons standing dumbfounded in the doorway. "Well don't just stand there. Come sit down before breakfast gets cold."

"Mom?" Sam questioned. "How, what?"

"Come on Sammy, Dean; your mother has been slaving over that hot stove making breakfast. Sit down and eat and we'll explain what is going on." John said.

Mary walked over and took the boys by the hand leading them to the table. "I made cinnamon apple pancakes. You used to love them Dean. I would catch you trying to feed them to Sam."

"Cinnamon apple pancakes?" Dean's eyes lit up. "I must be dreaming. I haven't had those since…"

"Since I died, and Sammy has never had them." Mary smiled and hugged the two before nudging them both toward chairs and placing a couple of plates in front of them.

Dean immediately began stacking a pile of pancakes on his plate while Sam just continued to stare at Mary. "Sammy you'd better grab some quick or I'm eating them all."

"Something smells absolutely divine in here." Gabriel said as he and Lucifer appeared. The trickster's eyes lit up as brightly as Dean's had. "Mary Winchester's famous cinnamon apple pancakes?" The trickster snapped up a plate and sat down at the table helping himself to a pancake before placing one on Sam's plate. "You know we could hear John and Dean moaning about how good these were every time you made them."

"Sam it is really her, and since you haven't noticed your father is here too." Lucifer said.

"Eh, compared to Mary, John is chopped liver; no offense." Gabriel mumbled around a mouthful of pancakes before moaning "Sweet dad in heaven these are orgasmic!"

Sam finally looked to the end of the table. "Uh Dad, I'm sorry I know you weren't happy with me when Azazel…"

"We both made our mistakes, tiger." John said as he sat down his coffee cup. "Your mom and I both remember things that had been wiped from our memories now. There's nothing for you to apologize for. I owe you an apology. I remember Anna, and everything that happened that night."

"Sam even though you and Dean warned us what was going to happen on November 2nd 1983, it wouldn't have kept us out of the nursery. The only thing that would have changed was that maybe it would have been John and not me." Mary said "Neither one of us would have just stood by while Azazel did what he did. We both would have died to stop him. What happened that night was not your fault, it was mine."

"Mary, don't." Lucifer said. "In reality nothing that has befallen your family was anyone's fault save heaven and hell. That is why we decided on this course of action, resurrecting you, John and Henry. Angels and demons caused all of your misery."

"Since we're all getting along and happy now, we realized what we missed out on." Gabriel said. "We just decided that you Winchesters deserved some happy family time too. Of course that's in addition to kicking Abaddon's ass; but hey, every family needs a hobby, right?" Gabriel popped another mouthful of pancake into his mouth and moaned.


	6. Chapter 6

The sound of bickering floated out of the room that Gertie had commandeered for organizing and cataloging the bunker's massive collection of data. Which explained why Kevin stood in the hallway peeking around the doorframe.

"You might not want to go in there. It's like World War three." Kevin shuddered.

"So this is you staying out of the line of fire?" Sam asked as a new voice joined the racket, a voice that sounded suspiciously like the devil a second before the door slammed shut.

The sound of a snap was heard and Gabriel was unwrapping a chocolate bar. "Well I have to say I kind of saw that one coming."

"Sammy ask the dwarf what that's supposed to mean." Dean said since he had made it his mission in life to never speak to the trickster again.

"It means that I tried to warn my brothers that Gertie and Henry were guaranteed to bump heads. I don't think you chuckleheads realize just how stubborn Grandpa Winchester is." Gabriel said as he licked a bit of caramel from his upper lip. "All of you Winchesters make mules seem reasonable in comparison. How do you think you keep beating the odds? It's not because of your good looks."

"So why exactly are they bumping heads?" Mary asked. "I mean the collection needs to be sorted right?"

"They are bumping heads because Henry thinks Gertie system is too complicated and Gertie thinks Henry's system would make finding things too labor intensive." Gabriel said. "Lucifer is trying to convince them to come to a compromise since they both have valid points."

"Why exactly are you worrying about what's in here anyway?" John asked.

"How much did Virgil tell you about what we're trying to accomplish here?" Gabriel asked.

"Not much beyond the fact that you expect me to work with demons." Mary said.

"And that our youngest son is a, well you know." John added.

"Okay, let me set the record straight. I guess it's probably easier to start with Sam." Gabriel said giving the youngest Winchester an encouraging smile. "In order for you to understand, I need to fill you in on Dad's plan as it was originally written before everything went off the rails. You see in the beginning, Dad had it all figured out. The final destination for all human souls was meant to be heaven, angels and humans one big happy celestial family, only one problem; that pesky little present he gave you called free will. A fair number of human souls were too corrupt to pass through the gates. That's when Lucifer began to see you as failures. So Daddy dearest created hell; a place where the souls who fell short of heaven could atone and purify themselves to become worthy of heaven. Since Lucifer saw all your flaws our father decided he would place Lucifer in charge of hell only Luci didn't like the plan. Michael on the other hand was all for it and got a bug up his butt because Luci wasn't going along with the program and that's when the fighting started."

"So that's why Michael tossed him in the cage?" Dean asked forgetting that he wasn't speaking to the trickster.

"No, that happened after Lilith. At this point it was a lot of arguing and picking sides. Then there were those of us who tried to remain neutral, me Balthazar, Anael and a few others. We were way outnumbered but it was understood that they had my backing. After that Lilith happened." Gabriel said. "Luci was trying to prove a point with her, show Dad how easy it was for free will to change you into these twisted creatures. And so the first demon was born and that's when Anael decided to join Michael and Balthazar and I decided to get the hell out of Dodge."

"You know, this really isn't making me feel any better." Sam said.

"Were you just not listening when I said the part about hell being a part of Dad's plan and having a purpose?" Gabriel asked. "Sometimes I really wonder about you Sam."

"So if hell is a part of God's plan, why is it so screwed up?" John asked.

"It's not anymore. Lucifer is getting it back on track. And the first step to getting it back on track was to get the demons in line so he created a new demon. A blue eyed demon that was created from demon blood and an archangel's grace." Gabriel smirked, "That would be Sam, other than the handful that Lucifer has assigned to work with Sammy here, the name Sam Winchester makes them pee their pants. Although I sometimes think that more Dad's doing than Lucifer's, Sam always has been the Winchester with faith."

"So that explains why Sam is a demon, you said you were going to start with Sam so what comes next in your explanation?" John asked.

"That part has more to do with the reaction of the townspeople and why Gertie and Henry are bumping heads right now. You see between the archangels; we've got heaven and hell under control but that still leaves your run of the mill garden variety ghost, goblin and thing that goes bump in the night and these people know about it. They know about hunters. A lot of them want to be hunters. They came to us about setting up a haven for hunters."

"A haven for hunters?" Mary was curious.

"Yep, although a better word would probably be a hub. The bunker is here with its extensive collection of lore. We're working on getting Jody Mills to take over as sheriff and the general store is putting in orders for huge amounts of salt and iron. The community college is even working with Castiel, Uriel and a couple of demons to put together a curriculum to train hunters." Gabriel said. "That's where you come in Mary; we need an experienced hunter to teach."

"So Mary will be teaching and Henry is playing librarian; that's all well and good." John said. "So what am I supposed to do besides be the proverbial chopped liver?"

"You do exactly what you did when you were alive, hunt with your sons and hope your special situation puts these damned ghosts and specters down once and for all."

* * *

"Hello Jody, you have considered our offer I take it?" Michael greeted the sheriff.

"Look, I know Crowley had a hand in this, I am not interested in any demon deals." Jody said.

Michael appeared to be honestly crestfallen. "I am truly saddened that you are not interested."

"I didn't say that I wasn't interested in the job. I'm not interested in being beholden to a demon for the job." She corrected. "I am willing to negotiate a contract on my own."

Michael immediately brightened. "Of course. We can renegotiate this contract with you or start again from the beginning."

"There are parts of this contract that I find acceptable so could we use this as a starting point and go from there?" Jody asked.

"That is a reasonable start to our negotiations." Michael said pulling out a paper notarized by a local attorney and handed it to Jody. "Since you are a representative of the law, I will assume that you will find this of import as you and I will be negotiating."

"You got a power of attorney?" Jody whistled. "I wouldn't think that would matter to an archangel."

"You humans put a lot of weight and trust into being legal. As my brother Gabriel once said 'don't rock the barge, to do whatever I see the Romans do'." Michael smiled.

"When in Rome huh? Okay so you are representing all of the Archangels." Jody unrolled the scroll Crowley had given her. "We may as well start with something easy like salary. This salary is actually more than acceptable."

"We wanted to ensure that you would be paid a wage in keeping with the local economy that will allow you to plan for your retirement when you are of age. Will the salary allow you to care for all of your son's needs?" Michael asked.

Jody bit her lip at the thought of her son. "About Sean, I am not sure that I want him brought back."

"Crowley seemed to be convinced that you would." Michael frowned. "We can resurrect him without a problem."

"He was already resurrected once. I don't want him back like that." Jody said as she remembered her first meeting with Sam and Dean.

"No Jody. He has never been resurrected." Michael said. "That thing that clawed its way up from your son's grave was not Sean Mills. It had no soul; it was the work of Death bringing him back. One of the tasks he was bound to do for Lucifer upon his rising. Your son's soul has never left heaven. We would resurrect him with his soul intact."

"I know Crowley meant this as a gift to impress me and I think that you guys mean well but I don't know if I could go back to being the loving mother." Jody admitted. "I watched my son eat his father like a burrito, that image is still in my head."

"We could remove that memory." Michael offered.

Jody thought for a moment. "No. He deserves a mother that can love him without needing angels rearranging her brain. Can we just drop that part?"

Michael looked at Jody closely. "Let's leave that item for now. Just know that we can resurrect him. After speaking with Castiel, we realized that we would need to provide you with a vehicle."

"Wait, before we start talking about my perks, let's talk about the department, the size and our duties since that brings me to an absolute must have." Jody said taking a deep breath and getting back to business. "You are asking me to enforce the law in a town that will be occupied by hunters, demons and angels; you are going to have to give me some sort of backing. I can handle humans but I am going to need some sign of authority to keep angels and demons in line."

"I am not sure what it is that you are asking. You will be the sheriff." Michael said.

"I want the authority to do my job, that means everybody." Jody said.

"You are asking me to give you dominion over angels!" Michael said shocked.

"No, I am asking for the power to do my job within my jurisdiction." Jody countered. "I have met some of your siblings and they can be real assholes when they want to be."

Michael stood up and paced back and forth for a few moments. "As a commander, I understand the need to keep order but this is not some small negotiation point. I will need to discuss it with my brothers."

* * *

"Well I happen to think exorcism is a reasonable topic to teach." Meg said. "Some low level black eye comes topside and gets out of hand a hunter can just exorcise them and they end up standing before Lucifer's throne. So not the place you want to be unless he has called you there."

"So that covers hand to hand combat, demonic identification, basic Enochian, warding, exorcism and spell work." Spicy said. "What about basic hunting?"

"It is my understanding that the archangels will assign a hunter to handle those classes." Castiel said. "They intend to ask Mary Winchester."

"Isn't Mama Winchester dead?" Spicy asked.

"She has ascended. She and a number of other hunters have been welcomed into the body of the host." Castiel explained.

"So she's an angel." Meg nodded "And who else ascended?"

"Ellen and Joanna Harvelle, Robert Singer, Rufus Turner, and Henry and John Winchester." Castiel ticked off the list of names. "These are the ones that you may be familiar with; but the list is extensive, over 150 in all. Sam and Dean will ascend upon their deaths."

"Great and I suppose we'll be expected to hold hands with them and have happy sing alongs." Meg snorted.

"I did not believe that Michael and Lucifer expected us to include musical training in the proposed curriculum." Castiel said with a frown. "Have you been notified of an amended list of requested training needs?"

Spicy burst out laughing. "I don't care what anyone says, you are the funniest angel that I know."

"You know Clarence, we need to work on sarcasm. How is it that you have spent this much time around Sam and Dean and it still goes over your head." Meg asked with a smile.

Cas tilted his head and regarded the demon. "Gabriel often asks me the same thing."


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Okay an extra chapter this weekend. I know this one is short but it just wouldn't flow very well into a longer chapter. Besides 2 weeks off starting thisThursday so I will probably be updating twice a week until next year (Which is a lot closer than it sounds)**

Hadrian looked around the busy intersection. He had been standing there for some time amazed by all he was seeing. Like all of the nephilim, he had felt Abaddon's message upon her death and had felt the power building each day until he was able to cross over into this world. Although the message carried a warning about the things that he would find, it was still unnerving.

One of the strange chariots he had been watching halted in front of him and two men emerged from its depths. "Alright buddy it's about time you moved along, we're getting complaints about your loitering." One of the men said clearly expecting his order to be followed.

Hadrian glanced at the man before going back to watching the strange chariots. They seemed to respond to color. It seemed that a red beacon would make them halt.

The other man now broke into his thoughts, "What you never seen a traffic signal before?"

"If you mean the beacons, then no; I have never seen such a thing before." Hadrian said.

"Okay buddy, how much have you had to drink tonight?" The first officer asked.

"I have partaken of nothing for thousands of years."

The officers shared a look before the first officer spoke again in a calming voice. "Sir, we are going to ask you to come with us."

"I am afraid that I must decline." Hadrian said. "I am otherwise engaged at the moment." The nephilim turned back toward the intersection and the traffic light.

"We can do this the hard way if you insist. You can come with us of your own free will or in handcuffs." The second officer said. "Your choice."

Hadrian finally gave the officers his attention. "Free will? Yes there is that."

* * *

"What is the problem Michael? We gave you what the mud monkeys call 'power of attorney' to handle any issues that came up during your discussions with Jody Mills so that we would be free to handle other business and yet you have called us here." Raphael grumbled.

"Yeah and no use waiting on Luci either, he's busy trying to mediate the disaster called Henry and Gertie." Gabriel said as he popped onto the room. "Not to say I told so, but I told you so."

"It would be best to have Lucifer present also." Michael said. "I want all opinions noted."

"He said he would tune in with his grace." Gabriel sat down and propped his feet on the desk. "If he doesn't like something we will know. Now like Raphael asked, what's this about?"

"The sheriff wants authority over the angels in Lebanon." Michael said.

"Absolutely not!" Raphael shouted.

Gabriel pursed his lips thinking. "Why?"

"It doesn't matter why! It is out of the question!" Raphael said. "These hairless apes cannot be given that authority!"

"Would you shut your trap, Raphael. She obviously had a reason for bringing it up and I for one want to know why." Gabriel said. "I think maybe we should listen to her and at least understand her reasoning before we veto the idea."

"That is why I called you all here. I will leave the decision between the three of you. I fully understand her reasoning but I will not take part in the decision." Michael said. "I am afraid that my decision would be based on bias."

"We should wait for Luci, let her talk to all of us and give us a chance to ask a few questions." Gabriel said.

"I agree. I will speak to Jody Mills and let her know that she will need to state her claim to you." Michael said. "Raphael, you may return to your duties. Gabriel stay, I wish to speak with you about the proposed curriculum that Castiel has delivered to me."

* * *

Dean and John were in the garage working on the vehicles. "For Christ's sake when is the last time this truck had a tune up?" John groused.

"I'm not sure. It was sitting in the back of the police impound lot until about a month or so ago." Dean said.

"Impound lot?" John asked ask he unscrewed another spark plug. "What was it doing in an impound lot?"

"It had kind of been there since you left that time to meet with Meg." Dean said. "The angels brought it to us when we had to put baby in hiding." Dean patted the Impala's hood. "Once we got her back it sort of became Sam's truck, so don't be surprised if there's rabbit food hiding under the seat and an I-pod dock."

"Sam's been driving it? Guess I should consider myself blessed that it even starts." John said. "I never could teach him anything when it came to cars."

"Dad," Dean started.

"Relax Dean. I understand that getting under the hood of a car just isn't Sam's thing." John sighed. "Sam is the white collar overachiever in the family. That's not a bad thing although I didn't it. But I intend to get along with him now. He's my son and I'm proud of him just like I'm proud of you."

"Damn straight you will get along with your sons." Mary said breaking in to the conversation. "I won't have you fighting with either of the boys." She smiled at them. "Especially when Sam has spent the last two hours researching a hunt."

"Sammy found a hunt and didn't let us know?" Dean sputtered.

"He wanted to make sure that it actually was something before he got you two all riled up." Mary said. "He's gone to get Lucifer, Henry and Gertie are still fighting. But he thinks we need archangel input on this. Either Zachariah has gone off the reservation again or we've got ourselves a nephilim problem."

"I thought Michael had the angels under control?" Dean questioned as they made their way toward the conference room.

"That's the general consensus." John said.

"Then why would Sam think that it's angels?" Dean asked confused. "Did somebody get their eyeballs burnt out or something?"

"No." Mary answered. "An overturned police cruiser with two dead cops was found in Tacoma Washington."

"Nothing about that sounds angelic. So how did Sammy make the jump to angels?" John asked.

"Actually he made the jump to nephilim." Lucifer said as the trio entered the conference room where Lucifer, Sam and Kevin were waiting.

"There's a witness," Sam said. "If it had been and angel, I doubt we would have a witness. Or our witness would be in the hospital with their eyes bandaged instead of multiple broken bones. The witness saw a guy practically snap two cops in half, toss them into their car and then flip the car with one hand. Unfortunately our witness was in the path of the car when it flipped."

"So how do we get to angel or nephilim from that?" Dean asked. "There are a lot of things with the strength to flip a car; pagan gods, werewolves , it's a laundry list."

"The fact that the killer had wings might be a big clue." Kevin said.

"Occasionally a human is born that can look at our true forms, but it is rare when it happens." Lucifer said. "And most of them were born a long time ago, before that carpenter's son was born."

"Wait a minute, something's not adding up here." Dean said. "That nephilim that Raphael and Gabriel stashed in our dungeon didn't have any wings that I could see and Abaddon damned sure doesn't have any."

"All humans are not born with freckles, but does that make them anything other than human?" Lucifer asked. "Some nephilim were winged and some were not. I will speak to Michael. Knowing this may help us to identify who he is. In the meantime, this is the opportune time for the Winchester men to ease back into hunting as a unit."

"What about research?" Sam asked.

"I have been trying to be reasonable in dealing with your grandfather and the old lady; I suppose it's time to make them fear the devil." Lucifer said. "Don't worry; I'll get them straightened out."

Inias suddenly appeared in the conference room. He gave Lucifer a nod of respect. "Morningstar, what orders do you have for me?"

"The Winchesters will be heading out on a hunt; there has been a possible nephilim sighting. You will accompany your younger brothers and protect them." Lucifer said. "You will make an effort to secure the nephilim but not at the cost of their lives."

"Lucifer you do realize that we have wings right?" Mary said.

"Yes, and I also realize that you are fledglings. Inias is a seasoned warrior. I would rather none of you face your first battle alone." Lucifer said. "Besides Michael would have my balls if I sent you off without backup. Sam I have contacted Belarus, he will join you in Tacoma."

"So we get babysitters from heaven and hell?" Sam asked.

"Sam it is your due as my second in command to have a hell Knight at your side. And I think Belarus is the only one who hasn't in some way directly caused your family harm." Lucifer said. "I would much prefer to send Alistair but I don't think John would be able to control himself, and the same goes for Meg."

"Besides Belarus has something in common with you Winchesters." Inias spoke up. "It is a badly kept secret in heaven and hell, he hated Azazel with a passion also."


	8. Chapter 8

Sam was sitting crossways in the back seat of the Impala to accommodate his legs while Dean was sitting in the passenger seat and John was driving. Mary was back in Lebanon since the angels had called a mandatory meeting for everyone due to teach the hunting courses.

Sam hid a smile as Dean grimaced when Joan Baez gave way to Bob Dylan. "Really Dad? We have to listen to this."

While Sam secretly agreed with Dean that John's musical taste was horrible, he would never admit it out loud. Instead Sam took the opportunity to enjoy his brother's misery. "Driver picks the music, shotgun shuts his pie hole." Sam smirked. "Your rules Dean."

"Yeah thanks for that Sammy. You really got my back don't you?" Dean huffed.

"Broaden your horizons Dean." John said. "Metallica and AC/DC aren't the only groups that made music you know?"

"I know. There's also Zeppelin, Black Sabbath the Beatles." Dean groused while Sam chuckled.

Dean perked up when the familiar intro to AC/DC's Hells Bells filled the car; unfortunately it was just Sam's cell phone announcing a text message. Sam read the message before firing off a response. Flipping the phone shut he said "That was Belarus. He wanted us to know that he had taken care of getting us checked into a motel."

"So where are we staying? Motel 6? Budget Inn?" Dean asked as Sam turned beet red and mumbled something unintelligible. "What was that Sammy?"

"I said he booked us into the Hotel Murano." Sam said.

"Isn't that like a four or five star hotel?" John asked.

"Uh yeah but he thinks it's 'appropriate." Sam said. "For a demon he's kind of strait-laced and anal about 'proper' appearances. He says our usual motel choices aren't really appropriate for me to stay in. Being that I'm 'royalty' even if it is hell royalty."

It was Dean's turn to laugh at Sam's misery now. "Sammy has a snobby demon babysitter. Is he going to roll a red carpet out for you to walk on so your royal feet don't touch the same ground we peasants walk on too?"

"Shut up Dean." Sam said. "It's an old habit. Before he became a demon he was a high priest under Ramses. He served a Pharaoh and in his mind Boy King is the same as the Pharaoh's heir."

"Wait a minute, how do you know that?" John asked.

"Crowley gave me the history on all the current Hell Knights." Sam sighed. "And no, I'm not going to play 20 questions about them so don't ask."

* * *

Mary Winchester looked around the room at the gathered beings. There were demons, angels, pagan gods and a vampire all represented. She snorted as Castiel led her around introducing her. He stopped on front of the vampire.

"Mary this is Benjamin Lafitte. He is a friend of your son Dean." Castiel said. "And of myself."

"And how exactly did my son become friends with a vampire?" She asked.

"Well ma'am, I think leading him out of Purgatory might have something to do with it." Benny said. "Dean the angel and me; we did a lot of fighting together."

"He also assisted Sam in completing the second trial to rescue Robert Singer's soul from hell." Castiel said.

"You're the one they released to reverse Metatron's spell and open the gates of heaven!" Mary said. "Bobby spoke highly of you. Thank you, I owe you for both of my boys."

"There's no need ti thank me. Dean saved me from Purgatory more than once." Benny said looking up as Uriel and Gabriel entered the room.

"Is everyone assembled?" Uriel asked looking around the room as Gabriel plopped down and a nearby table and snapped up a candy bar. "Then let us sit down and begin. We have much to go over."

"Michael has tentatively approved the curriculum that you submitted. The class listing is fine." Gabriel said. "Now he wants details. He needs everybody to develop a syllabus for your class. The college is insisting since you will be using their facilities."

"They are acting like this is some accredited course and people are going to get a degree out of it." Mary said.

"Thank Mikey, he has this thing about red tape." Gabriel snarked. "Can't get enough of it. Me? I was pushing to just rent a damned warehouse and run the classes the way we want to run them."

"So when does he want the syllabi?" Spicy asked.

"You've got two days." Gabriel pulled out a scroll and unrolled it. "Okay here's how we broke this down. Mary you grew up hunting, you're teaching basic hunting techniques like how to identify and track supernatural creatures. You get to cover all the ghoulies left over from everyone else."

"So I'm the catch all?" Mary said.

"Only on the creatures, we can't have one of everything teaching here. There are some creatures we can't trust. Meg you get demonology. We expect you to cover the signs and indications of a demonic presence and the different types of demons. You might want to toss the Hierarchy of hell in there while you're at it. After all you're a hell knight you may as well flaunt it."

"Does that mean I can pin my students to the ceiling when they don't do their homework?" Meg snarked.

"As long as you don't kill them, have at it. Thor hey bro! Pagan pantheons are all yours. Kali pretty much knows who is left so she can help you out. And make sure none of the damned winter solstice elementals are still hanging around. They are so sweet they give me a toothache."

"As you wish brother. You should know that the children insist on returning from Asgard." Thor said.

"I'll get someone to help you find a house." Gabriel nodded. "Benny, you get two classes. Vampires, and along with Castiel you'll be teaching a class on Purgatory. Cassie you will also be teaching Enochian."

"We will endeavor to live up to the trust you have placed in us." Castiel said.

"Uriel you get hand to hand combat. Mikey, Luci, Raph and I will be teaching angel lore and history." Gabriel said as he rolled up the scroll. "Spicy you have great organization skills so you will be handling registration and administration. I hope you don't have any pressing questions because I'm late for a meeting. Check you later." Gabriel snapped his fingers and disappeared.

* * *

"A penthouse suite? Really Belarus?" Sam blew out a breath. "This is way too pretentious."

"It is fitting my king." Belarus countered, stressing the word king. "Much of your authority comes from your image. You must give the appearance of being the boy king of hell. That means you must adhere to the standards of royalty."

Dean poked his head out of one of the rooms at that point. "Dude, there's a Jacuzzi in here and one of those showers that sprays from all directions. I mean they even put two toilets in here!" Dean disappeared back into the bathroom.

"I think it's called a bidet Dean, not a toilet." Sam said turning to Belarus. "See this isn't what we're used to. I mean my brother is in the bathroom playing with the bidet…"

John took that moment to walk in with three beers in his hand. "We have a fully stocked minibar Sam." John said as he handed a beer to his youngest son. "Where's your brother?"

"In the bathroom, probably playing with the bidet." Sam answered as he took the beer. The sound of running water made both Winchesters grimace.

"Yeah, not so surprising." John said sipping his beer. "Your mom and I used to call him the Ty-D-Bowl man at one point. We couldn't keep him from playing in the toilet. Thank God you just liked to play in dirt."

"You see, even as a small child you carried yourself with some sense of decorum." Belarus noted. "Inias is on his way. He was good enough to secure copies of the police reports and other necessary paperwork."

John chugged down the rest of his beer. "I'll go drag your brother out of the toilet, then we can take a look at everything figure out how to approach this nephilim if that is what we're facing."

Sam grabbed his bag and took out his laptop, setting it on the large dining table. Belarus looked at it and shook his head. "Sam how does that thing even work. It should have been replaced years ago."

"You know hunters aren't exactly rich." Sam said as he waited for the machine to completely boot up.

"Well that is true but it doesn't apply to you, or your brother." Belarus said as they were joined by John and Dean.

"What doesn't apply to us?" Dean asked confused.

"I guess you didn't know that you both have American Express Centurion Cards issued in your names." Belarus asked. "And before you ask, yes they are legally obtained and the bills are paid through a special account at the Vatican Bank."

"Whoa! How did that happen?" Dean asked.

"Michael and Lucifer opened the accounts in your names." Inias said as he arrived holding a large box of paperwork. "They wish to make your mission as worry free as possible and believed that freeing you from the need to obtain currency would achieve that goal."

"You are smiling Inias, what has lightened your mood?"

Inias sat the box down and picked up a disc. "The paranoia of humans can be a wonderful thing. There was a camera at the intersection and the entire incident was recorded. We have an image of the being that we seek."

* * *

Jody fought the desire to squirm as she sat at the table. Michael had escorted her to the room and told her to simply explain her reasoning to the Archangels sitting at the table before deserting her at the door. Gabriel seemed to be preoccupied with a huge piece of saltwater taffy, Raphael was glaring at her hard enough to burn a hole through her and Lucifer just looked bored.

"So here we all are," Raphael spoke. "I believe you are supposed to be explaining why we should grant you authority over angels."

"You are asking me to do a job here, enforce the law within the jurisdiction of Lebanon Kansas. In order to do that, I need authority over everyone within that boundary; human or otherwise, up to and including angels." Jody said. "I have known Dean and Sam for several years, before that I was well acquainted with Bobby Singer so I know a few things including how to banish angels. But banishing an angel is not going to make them respect the law. If they are going to remain here then they need to respect the law and be bound by it just like everyone else."

"It's a valid point Raph." Gabriel said. "Having angels ignoring her authority will undermine her authority with everyone else."

"It is a problem that I would rather not have to deal with." Jody nodded. "Not to mention the fact that it will be seen as preferential treatment for angels."

"I still fail to see the problem. Angels are the children of God we were created to do his will." Raphael argued. "Yet you would have angels be dragged down to the level of mud monkeys?"

"You know Raph those mud monkeys are high on Dad's list of favorite things right? And in case you've forgotten he will give mud monkeys the authority to toss Archangels in the pit or did you forget about that?"

"I'm not comfortable with it either Gabriel. We are angels and we are created to be closer to him than humans." Lucifer held up his hand when Gabriel started to object. "Let me finish." He turned toward a smirking Raphael. "Just because I agree with you that we have to command a certain respect does not mean that I fail to see the sheriff's point. I was one of those archangels a human tossed in the pit, I'd like to think that I am smart enough to recognize the old man's chastisement and learn from it."

Lucifer frowned for a few moments and Verchiel arrived in the room. "I propose a compromise. Jody id right the authority of her office cannot be compromised if she is to do the job we are asking her to do, so I suggest we elevate the office."

"I don't understand, what do you mean by 'elevate the office'?" Jody asked

"Meet your Undersheriff, Verchiel. He will work alongside you with the authority of the archangels behind him." Lucifer said. "This way all angels will understand that you have our authority and backing."


	9. Chapter 9

Michael made his way down to the cells in the basement of the bunker; in his hand was a photo that Dean had faxed to Kevin. The nephilim was not aware that his image was being captured and the look of joy on his face as he snapped the spine of one of the two officers had even disturbed the archangel. This was why father had ordered them cleansed; too many of them took pleasure in the destruction they caused.

Turning the corner, he was not surprised to see Crowley sitting with Jake, a chess board sitting on the table between them. Jake spent a good amount of time with Hell's regent, the young demon earnestly trying to gain the trust of Lucifer and Sam, Crowley was a means to an end.

Nathaniel was sitting with Metatron in his cell, their heads bent over a set of plans. The engineer angel was fully immersed in rebuilding father's throne and since Metatron was the one who had recorded the original plan, it was understandable that Nathaniel would consult with him. In the final cell, the nephilim Karel sat with his nose buried in a book.

"These humans have far surpassed what we thought them capable of." The nephilim said turning the page. "Such a profane imagination they possess, have you read Mary Shelley's Frankenstein? To even imagine the power of resurrection in their hands." Karel carefully placed a page marker and closed the book setting it on the little table beside his cot. "So tell me, what brings the oldest of God's children to seek me out?"

"Thus far you have been satisfied to sit here and read, I'm told you offer no trouble to those set to guard you." Michael noted. "I'm curious as to how long this good behavior will continue as more of your brethren are resurrected."

"Ahhhh." Karel got to his feet and moved closer to the door. "You wonder if I will yearn to join them. And you would not wonder if another had not made his presence known. So what is it you want, Michael?"

The archangel opened the folder in his hand and held up the photo. "Who is he?"

Karel schooled his features but not so quickly that Michael missed the flash of fear on his eyes. "I can tell you nothing about him."

"I think you can." Michael said in a no nonsense tone of voice. "I saw the look of fear that crossed your face. Who is he?"

"He is not someone that I wish to cross. I am content simply reading these books and learning how the world has changed." Karel said. "I have no desire to get involved with the schemes that have been set in motion. That one," he gestured at the photo in Michael's hand "He will delight in the destruction he causes. I will ask you this, why have you not asked Lucifer about him. Abaddon was not the only one who escaped the cleansing after all."

* * *

Dean was adjusting his tie in the mirror when Lucifer and Gabriel appeared in the room.

"Belarus, escort the Winchesters back to the bunker immediately. Inias go with them." Lucifer ordered.

"We're working a case here you know?" Dean interrupted.

"You were working a case," Gabriel said. "Now you're not."

"Is there something going on that we should know about?" Sam asked.

"I know this particular nephilim, his name is Hadrian. He was Abaddon's second." Lucifer said. "He is too powerful for you to face."

"Sam, Dean; they are right. You should go back to the bunker." John said.

"You too, John." Lucifer said. "This is not a fight for a fledgling. Now get out of here, Gabriel and I will track this bastard down."

"It is best you listen to them John." Inias said gently. "They are our elders and they have always had our best interests at heart."

"But." John started to protest.

"Dean is the elder of your sons, did you not admonish him to protect and guide Sam?" Inias asked. When John nodded the seraph continued. "And so our father admonished the archangels. And as with Dean they do so not because our father admonished them but because it is their duty as they elder brothers, now come let us return. We must pass this information to the host."

* * *

"Gertrude, it should just be filed under angels." Henry said. "There's not enough angels mentioned by name to warrant an alphabetical subcategory."

"So you suggest that someone looking for information on Michael just search through an entire section of angels to find it?" Gertie said. "That would be a massive waste of time."

"How about we subdivide the angel section into levels of angels?" Kevin suggested to put an end to the argument. "Archangels, Seraphs and Cherubs; that will cut down on the search time without being too complicated."

"And what if someone has been living under a rock all of their life and don't know that Michael is an archangel?" Gertie asked.

"Well we can add a description to the subcategory to guide a search." Mary said. "Honestly you two are making this far more complicated than it needs to be."

The group turned at the sound of feathers rustling to find John, Sam, Dean, Inias and Belarus had appeared in the library.

"Belarus give me a hand. We need to find all the information available about this Cleansing." Sam said pulling off his jacket and tie.

"I doubt you will find anything here but Metatron did record the details. There is a tablet in heaven's library." Inias said. "Unfortunately only Metatron and our father can read it."

"What about him?" Belarus pointed at Kevin. "He is a prophet right?"

"I will retrieve the tablet." Inias said as he disappeared

Mary was staring at the demon. Belarus nudged Sam, "I believe that an introduction is in order. She looks as if she might smite me at any moment."

"Mom, this is Belarus, a hell knight." Sam said introducing the demon.

"Yeah, and Sammy's babysitter." Dean added.

"It is my privilege to serve Samuel." Belarus said before bowing to Mary. "Mary Winchester, I have heard much about you. I now understand where Sam gets his strength of character from. A necessary trait in a monarch."

Mary shook her head. "Flattery doesn't work on me. Now tell me what you are doing back so soon?"

"Gabriel and Lucifer insisted." John broke in. "I guess they know about this Hadrian character."

"Yes, all of the host knows of Hadrian. He is one of those who sought shelter with Lucifer after the Cleansing." Michael said as he joined them. "Lucifer cast him from hell soon after giving him sanctuary."

"He got kicked out of hell?" Henry asked. "How in the hell do you get kicked out of hell?"

"By disobeying Lucifer's orders." Crowley answered. "He was long gone by the time I got there, but the story of his eviction was still bandied about the halls. Lucifer only kept him around as long as he did for Abaddon's sake. It seems that she and Hadrian were a bit of an item, back in the day."

"He was Abaddon's boyfriend?" Dean asked.

"Her betrothed actually. From what I understand Abby's father was against it." Crowley said. "They tried to do an end run around Daddy and get Lucifer's blessing, but Samael had already warned good old Luci and well let's just say the results were worthy of a Shakespearian tragedy."

"What happened?" Gertie asked.

"Michael tossed Lucifer in the cage and Abaddon disappeared." Crowley said as he conjured a glass of Craig. "Everyone assumed the two had come to a romantically tragic end ala Romeo and Juliet. At least until Abaddon resurfaced. We were all waiting for the other shoe to drop but I assume that Abaddon resurfaces because Hadrian was dead."

"So we get to deal with Romeo and Juliet from hell." Dean said. "Awesome."


	10. Chapter 10

"Sheriff, I do not understand the purpose of this endeavor." Verchiel said as Jody parked the car in front of the next business on her list, the local drug store.

"Rule number one of being a good cop; get to know the people in your jurisdiction." Jody said as she got out of the car. She closed the door and looked across the roof at Verchiel. "You have to build a relationship of trust with people Verchiel. That way if something happens, they will be willing to talk to you. There are a lot of morons out there that think a badge gives them the authority to be assholes, and that makes it harder on the rest of us."

"So we are endeavoring to prove that we are not assholes?" Verchiel asked as they entered the building.

"Yes, that is exactly what we are doing." Jody agreed.

Verchiel walked up to the register where an elderly woman greeted him pleasantly. "Good morning officer how can I help you?"

"I am undersheriff Verchiel and this is Sheriff Jody Mills, we are not assholes." Verchiel said, causing the woman's mouth to open in shock and Jody to grab the angel by the arm.

"I am so sorry." Jody stepped in to cover her undersheriff's faux pas. "Undersheriff Verchiel is still learning how humans communicate with each other."

"Oh he's one of the angels then. Castiel warned me his sibling's people skills are a bit rusty." She chuckled. "I understand that you lot are very blunt with each since there are no secrets between you. I'm Josephine but you can just call me Josie. Trust me honey you can drop the 'we are not assholes' part. People will figure that out all on their own."

"Was it not appropriate to inform you of this?" Verchiel asked, confused.

"No Verchiel, it wasn't appropriate." Jody said you can't just walk up to people and say something like that." Jody answered.

"Would it not be more efficient to speak plainly?" the angel asked.

"More efficient and more offensive. We tend to try to avoid offending others most of the time." Jody said.

"I begin to understand why we were kept from Earth for so many centuries." Verchiel said. "You are incomprehensible creatures."

* * *

"Well?" Michael questioned as Lucifer and Gabriel appeared in Michael's office in heaven.

Gabriel threw himself down into a chair with a huff. "Nothing, that's what, not a friggen trace of Hadrian anywhere."

"He is covering his trail with care Michael." Lucifer explained as he poured himself a goblet of nectar. "We searched the entire town and could find nothing."

"Are you sure there was nothing to find?" Zachariah asked from his smaller desk across the room. "Perhaps in finding nothing you have found something."

"You know Zackie that makes no sense at all." Gabriel said as he snapped up a bag of Whoppers.

"You have found no trace of his presence, is that really the natural order of things?" Zachariah pointed out "Or does it speak of a deliberate effort to evade discovery?"

Lucifer frowned for a moment. "It does stand to reason that we would find some trace left behind. So why would he need to conceal his presence after flaunting it so boldly?"

"You are asking me? I'm just a lowly aide." Zachariah said as he picked up a scroll and gave it his attention. "That is a question that I would expect to be better answered by an archangel and I see three of them gathered in this chamber."

Gabriel took a moment to flip the seraph the bird. "And that is why everybody hates you Zach."

"No everybody hates me because I am good at my job and make the rest of them look bad in comparison." Zachariah snorted.

"Vain much?" Lucifer snarked. "Don't get confused, vanity is my job you know."

"Okay, since we all agree that everyone hates you; how about some proof that you're that good?" Gabriel sighed. "We've got a rogue nephilim running around somewhere."

"Gabriel, hush." Michael said. "Zachariah, you've obviously had some revelation so share it."

"Really Michael it's simple." The seraph said putting down his scroll. "Hadrian would not be avoiding you if he had no reason to. There is only one being that would give him a reason, Abaddon. He is either trying to help her rise or she has already resurrected. We should all pray to father that it is the former."

"Well crap." Gabriel said. "Can't you just come up with something stupid for once?"

"Of course not." Zachariah said. "Then I wouldn't be of any use to you."

* * *

Belarus laid another book on the table and picked the three discarded volumes to return to Gertrude and henry to be back on the shelves. Sam had his new laptop open on the table in front of him and was busy clicking through sites trying to find information on Hadrian.

"Well unless he was a Roman emperor who decided to build a wall across Great Britain, I don't think this is going to be much help." Sam closed the laptop.

"Yeah, nothing in here either." Dean said slamming the book shut and earning him a slap against the back of his head from Henry. "Dude!"

"Show some respect Dean these books are hundreds of years old and fragile." Henry said. "They are irreplaceable."

"Sorry." The hunter mumbled.

"Just don't do it again." Henry picked up the book and headed back into the stacks.

The rustle of feathers announced the arrival of Gabriel and Lucifer. John immediately looked up at the two. "Did you find him?"

"Not a trace," Lucifer said as he noticed Sam's new laptop. "Finally taking advantage of the perks Sammy?"

"Not by choice, Belarus insisted. He thinks I should look and act the part of royalty." Sam snorted.

"He's doing his job Sam. I assigned him to you for a reason." Lucifer said. "You weren't exactly raised to your position after all. No offense to Mary and John because things probably would have turned out much different had you been."

"Yeah the only thing left of this world would have been space dust, either you or Mikey would be dead and Dad would have any angel that survived in a permanent time out." Gabriel said. "Instead were one big happy screwed up family again, the world id still spinning and Dad while not exactly happy with us isn't taking Child abuse to a whole new level by whipping our asses with the cosmos biggest switch."

"Way to look at the bright side there Midget." Dean said. "Any reason why you guys dropped the ball after sending us back home?"

"He's covering his tracks." Lucifer said. "Michael has Zachariah sending out tracking parties to look for him."

"It won't do any good." Gabriel said as he appeared next to the table holding a huge cake. No one had even noticed that he had left. "Zach's little searching angels were still looking for me when you gave me that loving little poke with my own blade. They won't find him."

"Maybe you should have let us help." John said. "I know it was Sam and Dean who figured out who you were."

"They figured it out because I was pretty lax about hiding who I was from them. They also had some help from Castiel." Gabriel said. "I really didn't think Castiel knew enough to figure out who I was." Gabriel shrugged. "Believe me it was more complacency on my part than anything else."

"So maybe this Hadrian is just as complacent." Sam said. "Guardians didn't exist back in the day."

"And Abaddon doesn't know about them either." Dean added. "She offed herself before any of them ever set foot on Earth right?"

"We aren't going to put them in harm's way, they are fledglings." Lucifer said. "They barely know how to control their wings."

"But they do have lifetimes of experience as hunters." Henry said interrupting the Archangel. "That is why your father chose to raise us to Guardians in the first place. We aren't like brand new angels who don't know anything. Most of us already know how to fight."

"Exactly and we already know that nephilim think vessels are just other nephilim." Dean said. "Dad was a vessel too at one point, for Michael no less. Maybe they can't tell what he is either."

"It's easy enough to find out, we still have a nephililm in the basement." Sam said. "If he can't tell then we could still hunt for Hadrian and he wouldn't know to hide from us."

"Look guys it makes sense but Michael will never let it happen." Gabriel said. "He sees it as his duty to protect you because he failed with the Seraphs. One of the Guardians so much as stubs a toe and Mikey is going to have a conniption, he certainly isn't going to let you purposely put yourself at risk."


	11. Chapter 11

"I begin to understand why the creator has forsaken you." Karel said without raising his nose from the book he was reading. You hold such a distorted view of him. I find it difficult to believe that the Herald delivered such a twisted message."

"What?" Dean asked.

Karel raised the book displaying the title, The Holy Bible. "You use this book to justify war and hatred, to breed strife among you and yet you claim it is his word." Karel snorted. "It seems more to me that you have simply chosen the parts of his word that serve human vanity, and ignored the rest."

The nephilim closed the book "So what can I do for the vessels. You've obviously sought me out for a reason.

Sam gestured to someone and Karel straightened up alert. "A vessel that has been ridden, and by an archangel no less. So this is what you wanted to know. You could have just asked."

"Well we didn't." John said as he joined his sons. "We wanted an answer and we got it."

"So you can tell that one of the archangels used him for a meat suit?" Dean asked.

"I can tell that you are the only vessel that has not served your purpose." Karel said. "There is a touch of the angelic in both of them that is missing in you Dean Winchester."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Dean asked.

Karel picked up the bible and stuck his nose back into the book. "It means what it means."

"So you're not going to give us a straight answer?" Sam asked.

"I will tell you as I told Michael, this is not my fight. I'm staying out of it." Karel said. "I'm not getting in the middle of you and Hadrian and his cronies."

Sam shook his head. "Gabriel, can I bother you to come down here for a moment?"

"Sam, what's up?" Gabriel said as he appeared in the basement.

"Karel thinks he can stay out of this, maybe you can talk to him." Sam said. "I mean you have firsthand experience on how well that works…" Sam trailed off.

"I can speak to him but this conversation requires privacy. Take the rest of the Winchesters and find somewhere else to be." Gabriel watched the nephilim for a second and then popped into the cell once Sam had ushered Dean and John out of the basement.

"You do know that book is a waste of time right?" Gabriel said as he settled himself perched on a low table against the opposite wall from the bed. "Everything I told them to write down has been twisted and reinterpreted through translation after translation."

"So why are you here? Not to correct all the errors in their bible obviously." Karel closed the book. "Maybe you think to tell me that I have to pick a side?"

"No I'm not going to tell you that you have to do anything. Sit on the fence as long as you like, don't make a choice." Gabriel said. "As Bobby Brown would sing that's your prerogative. But eventually a choice will be made for you. I found that out the hard way."

"I won't be forced into this fight, Gabriel." Karel said.

Gabriel looked at the nephilim and snapped his fingers producing a big box of scrolls. "The original Cuneiform and Aramaic. So you can read the bible as it was first given to them."

"That's it? No trying to convince me to cave under your righteous instruction?" Karel said.

"Nope. There's no need to convince you of anything." Gabriel said. "In time Hadrian is going to realize that someone is missing from his little Nephilim army and that person would only be missing if that person was aiding the enemy. The choice will be made for you just like it was made for me in the end."

* * *

Hadrian stood over the grave and watched as the body formed from nothing, taking on the form of a young woman who had been known as Zora. "Welcome back to the world of the living Cousin." He said as she looked around in confusion.

"How? The angels destroyed us." Zora asked.

"And Abaddon found a way to bring us back. We owe our existence to her and now we must discover how to bring her back also." Hadrian said as he held his hand out to her. "Come there is much for us to do and only a handful of us yet risen. First we must find the others."

"There are others that have risen?" She asked as she took his hand. "Who?"

"I do not know, it is why I need your help." Hadrian said. "We must all consolidate under Abaddon's leadership. We will be powerful enough to challenge heaven itself."

"Is this not the folly that was spoken of before by many of us? Was the lesson not learned? The sons of god cut us down with ease." Zora said. "Not even our fathers could stop them and they were sons of heaven themselves. Does Abaddon truly think that she can challenge the creator himself, and are you so bedazzled by her that you believe this foolishness?"

"It is not foolishness. What had we done to deserve the destruction visited upon us?" Hadrian said.

"I am sorry Hadrian but I live again, I have been given a second chance." She pulled her hand from his. "I will not waste it in some misbegotten quest for vengeance beyond our reach." She turned her back on her fellow nephilim.

"I am sorry you feel that way." Hadrian grabbed her from behind and plunged an angel blade into her back. "If you will not join me, you are an enemy to me." He let the body drop to the ground. "Such a waste Zora, such a waste."

* * *

Alistair found that he hated the town of Lebanon but it was where both Sam and Lucifer were at the moment, so he had no choice but to suck it up. Alistair took a deep breath and entered the town hall hoping that he might run into Lucifer and save him having to talk to anyone else.

"Alistair? What are you doing here?" Spicy asked.

"Spicy. I need to talk to Lucifer or Sam." Alistair greeted his fellow hell knight. "I would rather not have to be surrounded by Winchesters at the time."

"Is something wrong?" Spicy asked picking up on Alistair's agitation.

"Have them talk to Jack about the body I found." Alistair said.

"Body? What body?" Spicy asked. "When did you find a body?"

"Last night in a graveyard down in Mississippi. It was left lying across a tomb." Alistair said. "I took it to Jack and asked him to keep it on ice Far Lucifer and Sam."

"What is so important about this body that you took it to Jack?" Spicy asked.

"Let's say it's not exactly human." Alistair said. "But it's not exactly an angel either."

"You found the body of a nephilim?" Spicy said awed.

"I found the body of a nephilim." Alistair confirmed.


	12. Chapter 12

"Michael, you are welcome to join us. You are welcome in hell just as I am welcome in heaven." Lucifer said. "Being that it is the body of a nephilim, I would say that your presence is imperative."

"You haven't gotten this worked out yet?" Gabriel asked. "Belarus is on his way with Sam and Dean. Raphael has declined to go, and Zachariah is on his way down to join us too."

"Well your lapdog is joining us. You may as well tag along Michael." Lucifer encouraged.

"There's a complete set of Winchesters out here." Spicy poked her head in the door. "And this bald angel that looks like he's been constipated for the past century."

"That would be Zachariah." Gabriel answered. "And believe me he acts just as constipated as he looks."

"Yeah well the looks that are being exchanged between him and the collective Winchesters?" Spicy gave a long suffering sigh, "The tension level is off the scale and somebody's head is going to explode like in that Scanners movie unless one of you come out here and calm things down. It's so bad that no one has even noticed Alistair is in the room."

"I'll go order him to tone it down." Michael said. "I guess I don't have a choice in going with you. If I let Zachariah loose in hell unsupervised he'll start the apocalypse all over again."

"Let's avoid that at all costs." Gabriel said. "One apocalypse in the space of a single geological era is more than enough."

Michael made his way out the door into the oppressive atmosphere of the outer office. "Zachariah, tone it down around the fledglings."

Lucifer made his way over to Belarus and Alistair. "How did you find this body Alistair?"

"I didn't, Garth found it and notified me." Alistair said. "I took it to Jack; he's holding it until I could notify you and Sam. He figured you and maybe the dodo birds" Alistair nodded toward Michael and Gabriel, "Would be interested in seeing what he could find."

Lucifer nodded. "Okay, fledglings you can follow Sam and Dean. Michael, Gabriel and I will follow shortly."

"Should I accompany you or go with them?" Zachariah asked.

"Go with them but behave yourself." Michael said as he joined his brothers.

"Okay let's go." Sam said reaching into his pocket and pulling out three rings.

"Sammy, aren't those the horseman's rings?" Dean asked.

"All except for Death's." Sam said as he tossed the rings against the wall and began chanting.

Dean whistled as a portal opened. "My little brother has his own key to hell. That's just all sorts of wrong."

* * *

"What are we doing back here?" Gabriel asked.

"You did speak to Karel. I'm thinking there is no better way to bring your point home to him than to show him what will happen if he continues to ride the pine as you put it." Lucifer said. "There is a dead nephilim in hell, and it didn't get there by kissing Hadrian's ass."

"Scare tactics?" Michael asked. "Do you really believe this will work, Lucifer?"

"Maybe not immediately, but every bit of leverage we can bring to bear will help tip Karel in our direction." Lucifer explained. "Eventually he will realize that he has no choice if he wants to survive whatever it is Abaddon set in motion and Hadrian works to achieve. Strategically it's best if he comes to this realization sooner rather than later."

"I agree with you." Michael said. "I just don't want to push too hard and have him completely shut down to the possibility."

"So we tell him we're transferring him to Protective Custody." Gabriel said. "You have to have someplace in hell you can stash him right Luci?"

"Um yes we could always stuff him in a cage. No one gets in or out." Lucifer said. "But that would be more of a punishment."

"Not if we make sure he sees the body first. It will be logical that we would do our utmost to 'protect' him." Gabriel said.

"All these centuries calling me evil and me the devil." Lucifer snorted. "You should have tagged Gabriel; he deserves the title just for being so underhanded and shady."

"I'm not shady, I'm just practical." Gabriel said. "Sometimes you get a bit further with deception and total honesty is a big roadblock. I just prefer whichever path is easier."

"Very well, let's go deceive our reluctant guest." Michael said.

"I'll go catch up with the others." Gabriel said. "I know you told Zach to behave but somebody needs to keep him from pissing off the Winchesters."

* * *

Sam stepped out of the portal and into a long marble tiled hallway. At the other end was a mahogany door. Sam hadn't taken two steps when a group of tiny robed creatures surrounded him demanding his attention.

"Oh look Gabriel," Dean pointed. "We found all your long lost oompa loompa cousins!"

"Dean haven't I warned you not to try to be funny," The archangel said tossing a kernel of candy corn into his mouth. "You'll hurt yourself. Besides, this looks more like that creepy mausoleum from Phantasm. We've got the little dwarf creatures, our own version of the tall man;" Gabriel nodded at Sam patiently trying to calm the creatures down. "All we need now is a steel ball with a spike whizzing through the corridors."

Belarus had stepped up to Sam's side and scattered the little creatures for the moment and Sam opened the door leading them into a richly carpeted hallway and reception area that would have been right at home in any multinational conglomerate's headquarters office. Gabriel burst out laughing seeing the reactions of those who had not been to hell since heaven had been reopened.

"This is hell?" Mary asked stunned. "It's not what I expected."

"It's not what I remember." John added.

"It's the administrative wing." Alistair said with disgust. "It's Spicy's idea."

"Puts our green room to shame don't it Zach." Gabriel said "Makes us look like a bunch of pretentious assholes."

"That's because you are a bunch of pretentious assholes." Dean added helpfully.

Belarus quickly took charge. "Sam you might want to talk to the imps now while you have a spare moment, see if there's anything that needs your attention. Alistair and I can play host until the others arrive.

"Whatever." Dean said. "I'm heading to the library, it has a fully stocked bar."

"Come on Zach, you look like you could use a drink or two." Gabriel said. "Luci put in a humidor too. He's got a supply of the best cigars from around the world. All hand wrapped."

Dean who had been to the 'new' hell more than once led the way to the library making his way straight to the bar. Gabriel led Zachariah to a couple of chairs facing a fireplace and snapped his fingers. The angels were both holding snifters of cognac and cigars. Glancing down the archangel snapped his fingers again and was suddenly attired in an expensive smoking jacket.

"What? I may as well look the part." Gabriel said as he settled himself in the chair next to Zachariah.

Dean had pulled out a bottle of Johnnie Walker Blue and a couple of shot glasses. Mary stood there looking around her, bewildered at what appeared to be a formal library straight out of an old Dickens novel. Shaking her head she made her way over to the door and eased it open. She jumped when she felt a hand on her arm.

"Mary, relax, have a drink or something. Michael and Lucifer will be here soon." Gabriel said.

"I guess I'm just a bit unsettled that I'm in hell and it seems so nice." Mary said.

"It actually was Spicy's idea to set this up this way. Don't worry once we head down to the rack you will know that you're in hell. Just remember, you are a guardian and you are Sam's mother." Gabriel said. "You know that sort makes you the 'Madonna of Hell' right?"

"What? Gabriel you know you really aren't making any sense at all." Mary said.

"Of course I am. You just aren't following. Mary of Nazareth gave birth to Jesus and she got a lot of hoopla and good PR out of the deal. After all he was the embodiment of a prophesy. Sam is also the embodiment of a prophesy one that was never acknowledged by the Church because of Luci's little rebellion." Gabriel explained. "Then we all just dropped the ball. You never got the whole 'blessed art thou among women' speech."

Gabriel laid his hand on Mary's arm and the two were standing in front of a floor to ceiling window that looked out over hell proper. "All this is a part of Dad's plan. When Lucifer told him that he had made a big mistake giving you guys free will and that you were broken, well let's just say Daddy doesn't like anyone pointing out when he is wrong. And ultimately Luci was right. Most of you tend to abuse that freedom and fall victim to your flaws but a lot of you do try to make the right choices and to atone when you make the wrong ones. Sam, Dean they are what is best in you. They make mistake after mistake but they own their mistakes. They try to fix their errors. They got that from you and from John."

"What does that have to do with this?" Mary gestured to the scene of hellfire burning on the other side of the window.

"You do know how the apocalypse was stopped. Your youngest son jumped into a cage with Lucifer riding his back and dragged Michael down with him for good measure. Sam sacrificed himself to an eternity of suffering to fix the fact that he had let Satan out of his prison. There may not have been a Judas to point him out to Roman troops for 30 pieces of silver and no heart rending prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane; but Sam willingly took up a cross anyway and the world is still spinning because of it." Gabriel said "And Sam was also raised from the depths of hell and forgiven his sins by Dad. Lucifer sees what Dad meant hell to be now and that it what it has become recently. That is not mindless suffering that's happening out there now. Souls that end up on the rack aren't being tortured just for the sake of torture; they are atoning so that one day, they can gain entry to heaven."

"And Sam?" Mary asked.

"He's their proof." Lucifer said as he joined them. "The boy with the demon blood who unleashed Satan on an unsuspecting world. Hell's Boy King that brought the end of days to the world and he has been forgiven. He not only has a place in heaven, he has a place among the host. If the one person who has committed what could arguably be called the greatest sin in history can gain redemption, so can they. And Gabriel is right. You are the mother of my right hand, that gains you a status in hell all your own." Lucifer turned to Gabriel. "Well let's go get a look at this dead nephilim, shall we?"


	13. Chapter 13

Jack the Ripper drew back the sheet covering the body that had been placed on an autopsy table. "A female specimen." He pointed out. "This is obviously why the human hunter notified my colleague of the body." Jack gripped the shoulder and hip and pulled turning the woman's corpse on its side. Two small protrusions grew from a point between the shoulder blades. "What appears to be a small budding immature set of wings."

"I guess that's how Garth figured out that it was a nephilim." Dean said.

"I would assume so." Jack agreed. He pointed to a wound in the woman's back. "The cause of death, her spine was severed with a blade. I will even hazard a guess that it was an angel's blade."

"Hadrian has his father's blade." Lucifer said. "I recall seeing him with it before the cage incident."

"Why would Hadrian kill her?" John frowned. "I mean he needs every nephilim on his side right?"

Karel was staring at the body. "She was a pacifist. She would not even defend herself when you came to destroy us. She would not have joined him."

"You know her?" Mary asked.

"Her name was Zora." Karel said "Her father was Jophiel."

Michael and Lucifer shared a glance.

"I remember Jophiel; he was a healer that once worked with Raphael." Michael said.

"Yes, he spoke of his father's love for both angels and humans." Karel said. "And yet he sent you to destroy the issue of his favorites. Tell me where was his love for us? Why did he single us out for persecution? I have read your bible even the original texts you gave to me Gabriel. He had us destroyed but he did not stop there. You did not stop there. I read how you destroyed in his name again and again. Sodom, Gomorrah, Egypt; is this how your father shows love to his children?"

"Karel, it was disobedience that drew down father's wrath." Lucifer said. "He had me cast down and imprisoned for centuries and I was once the most favored of his angels. He will not tolerate disobedience to his will."

"Were we disobedient?" Karel countered. "We had done nothing!"

"You were the evidence of disobedience." Michael said. "Things are different now; we have no desire to destroy nephilim if we can help it."

"But you will destroy Hadrian?" Karel asked.

"It's not like he is leaving us much choice." Gabriel said. "No more of a choice than Abaddon gives us. She started this. Put your knives away Jackie. If Zora here follows the pattern she'll be up and around in a day or two."

"Hadrian will just kill her again." Lucifer spoke up.

"Not if we protect her." Michael said. "It's clear that Hadrian cares nothing about his kinship for you, but you are part angel. Our nephews and nieces deserve our protection."

"I agree." Lucifer said and waved Alistair over. "Karel will remain here under guard. Let no harm come to him or to the body of Zora, when she awakens she will also be under the protection of heaven and hell."

"Wait, you are going to keep me a prisoner here?" Karel sputtered.

"Not a prisoner," Michael said, "Safe, protected."

"Yeah, it's safer here than in the bunker." Sam piped up. "And we can put more of our effort into finding this Hadrian since we won't have to babysit you 24/7."

"An excellent observation Sam, excellent!" Lucifer said. "We can set a contingent of demons to watch over them and those who have been guarding him on Earth can join the search."

"You are speaking of imprisoning me!" Karel shouted.

"Just think of it as witness protection." Gabriel said. "And it will be temporary right Luci? Once we've destroyed Hadrian, Karel here will be free to romp around the Earth to his heart's content."

"Then it's settled, Lucifer, Sam; make the arrangements for your guests." Michael said. "Gabriel you will return with me. I understand that Thor is due to arrive with your children today and you still haven't acquired a house for them."

"Yeah, yeah I'll handle it don't worry." Gabriel said. "So Winchesters not needed to get Karel settled in, are you coming?"

* * *

Hadrian looked around the room at the small group of nephilim he had gathered. "Zora rose but she stood against us. I had no choice but to end her renewed existence. Soon our cousin Abaddon will rise. We must prepare."

Hadrian walked over to the counter and picked up a scroll. "We will gather her army; it will be waiting when she comes back to us."

"How will we convince demons to follow us now? Lucifer is firmly in control of Hell they will follow him." A female nephilim spoke up.

"And Lucifer has returned to the bosom of his heavenly family." Another added. "He will not raise a finger to help us against Michael now."

"Gabriel was sympathetic to our plight in the past." A third opined.

"No son of heaven will help us," Hadrian said. "Especially heaven's princes. They salivate at the thought of seeing our blood once again spilled onto the dust of this earth."

"Then what army will we raise without demons or angels to fight at our side?" The first nephilim asked.

"We will seek out the children of Eve." Hadrian said. "They too have been wronged by heaven. But before we approach them, we have need of their blood."

"Now you speak of attacking our potential allies." She argued. "What madness possesses you?"

"We will turn the attack to our benefit." Hadrian explained. "We will leave the impression that the attack comes from heaven and her allies, the human hunters. Abaddon has after all left them with a gift. Some of them resurrect when killed."

* * *

Raphael made his way to the garden where Nathaniel was working to rebuild God's throne. The base was almost done, a four sided stairway rising up to a broad flat marble platform.

"Brother!" Nathaniel yelled down from the top. "Have you come to check our progress?"

"There is no need for that Nathaniel, your work ethic is well known. I wish to speak with you about something else. You have been spending much time with Metatron." Raphael said. "I am curious as to your opinion of him. Do you believe he can be trusted? Under supervision of course."

"It would need to be a close supervision." Nathaniel said after a few moments of thought. "After what he did, I don't know that he can ever be trusted again. I have checked the prisons, they remained secure all those whom father imprisoned remained imprisoned during the fall. Perhaps Metatron should be added to the number of heaven's inmates?"

"That is an option that we had not considered." Raphael nodded. "I will take that under advisement. Also, if you could spare the time; the cells in the Men of Letters repository, I need you to check the security of them."

"They have been well warded to hold all known creatures." Nathaniel said.

"I need you to check and ensure that they will hold unknown Creatures, namely nephilim." Raphael said. "I know we held a nephilim there recently but with the situation that is developing, we would all feel better knowing the cell actually can hold one that desires to escape. I think our recent guest may have been held more by his fear of other nephilim than the cell itself."

"Very well brother. I will go do so now." Nathaniel turned and shouted orders at the angels busy rebuilding the throne before turning back to Raphael. "Shall we?"

* * *

Inias and Castiel had remained at the bunker. "Castiel, I still do not understand, what fort are we holding down?"

"It is a human saying. It makes no sense to me either but as Gabriel has explained many times the meanings of these phrases has been lost or changed over a period of time. The meaning is figurative and not literal." Castiel said. "In this case a 'fort' was a secure and well-defended haven against one's enemies and to hold it down mean to repel an attack."

"Are we in imminent danger of attack?" Inias asked.

"No, in this case we are expected to ensure things continue to run smoothly in their absence." Castiel said then straightened. "Someone approaches."

The two seraphs let their blades drop into their hands before appearing in the foyer. Castiel nodded to Inias who opened the door to reveal a couple of young people standing there.

"Please tell me that Dean and Sam are here." The girl said. "I need their help."

"What assistance are you in need of?" Castiel asked.

"My name is Krissy Chambers. Just please tell them I need their help." The girl said. "Josephine is dead. Something killed her."

"The Winchesters are not here. I am Castiel, an angel of the Lord." Castiel said vanishing his blade. "You had best enter and tell us what happened to your companion."


	14. Chapter 14

"Gabriel I am impressed." Michael said as he looked around the modest house. "I was expecting you to snap up a palace."

"Why would I do that? I mean this is only for show. It's not like they will be spending any time here, they will be off doping whatever it is kids do these days." Gabriel said.

"Hopefully they will be better behaved than their father. You were a holy terror in your youth." Michael said. "Wait let me correct that, you're still a holy terror and you're supposed to be an adult now."

"Ha ha. I take it you want to talk about Jophiel?" Gabriel sighed. "Look, he wasn't the angel you thought he was. He deserved what happened."

"We found your blade next to his body." Michael said "But since we've been reunited I can help but think that it wasn't your blade that killed him. You're too much of a peacekeeper in the family to just kill a brother."

"It's ancient history Michael, just leave it be." Gabriel said. "Changing things now won't bring him back. And there's no need to ruin reputations either."

"Who are you protecting? There was no reason for you to cross paths with him but you took the blame for his death. Why?" Michael pressed.

"He took the blame for Anael, Michael." Raphael said. "As Gabriel has said, Jophiel was not who we believed him to be."

"Anael killed him? Why?" Michel looked at the two younger archangels. "No more falsehoods and deceptions. What happened?"

"As it is in heaven, so it must be on Earth." Gabriel said. "Rape didn't just materialize out of thin air."

"She had taken a human vessel, a female." Gabriel said "He tried to force himself on her and she fought back. Raphael and I heard her screams."

"We arrived in time to watch the grace burst from his vessel. Anael was injured, but he was well respected, she was young. Gabriel and I chose to protect Anael's future." Raphael said, "And Jophiel's reputation."

"Mikey, let it drop. It happened too long ago for you to go worrying about it now." Gabriel said.

"You have lived all this time with the stigma of killing Jophiel but it was not your burden to bear." Michael said.

"And if I hadn't, Raphael would have been forced to punish Anael when she was a victim of Jophiel's lust." Gabriel said. "That would have been a worse burden to bear. This way Raphael and I worked it out and no one had to suffer because Jophiel gave into human corruption."

Michael looked at the two, "You knew where he was didn't you?" he asked Raphael.

"I knew he was with the pagans. It was easier on both of us after he left. Keeping up a façade of hatred is exhausting." Raphael said. "Like Gabriel, I ask that you drop this. Thanks to Metatron's actions we no longer have to act like we hate each other. Besides neither Jophiel nor Anael is here to suffer or benefit from the revealing of this situation."

"I will not reveal it to the host, but Lucifer should also know." Michael said. "We should have known when it happened."

"And what would you have done?" Raphael asked. "Would you have hidden the truth to protect her or would you have insisted on punishment? She killed another angel long before we took to taking up arms against each other."

"This is why we never told you, we spared you from having to make a decision that would have taken two of our siblings from us instead of one." Gabriel said. "Just let this die, please."

* * *

Castiel sat patiently while Krissy and her companion ate the sandwiches that he had made. Inias stood at his side also watching and when the teens were finished Inias waved his hand clearing the dishes from the table.

"So Dean and Sam?" Krissy asked.

"They will return when they are able. You may wait for them here but it is imperative that you explain to us what you meant by 'something killed' your friend." Castiel said.

"We don't know what it was." The young man spoke up.

"And you are?" Castiel prompted.

"My name is Aiden. We thought it was a werewolf. But it couldn't have been."

"Why do you think it was not a werewolf?" Inias asked.

"Silver kills werewolves. We stabbed it and we thought it was dead." Krissy said. "But it wasn't. It got up and it killed Josephine."

"So we came here." Aiden said. "Sam and dean know a lot about hunting and they don't treat us like little kids. We thought maybe they would know what it was, and how to kill it."

The two angels stared at each other for a couple of minutes. When Krissy and Aiden were thoroughly creeped out by the silent communication, Inias spoke up.

"I will remain here and guard them while you locate Sam and Dean." Inias turned to the two young people. "You say that Sam and Dean Winchester treat you as adults, we will also regard you in this way. Castiel is leaving to find them. There are things happening that you may not be aware of, they will be explained to you upon Castiel's return but for now you will remain here. Michael will also wish to hear your tale."

"Michael, as in the archangel that tossed the devil into the sea of eternal damnation?" Aiden asked.

"He is the archangel but that particular event will not happen. Our brother Lucifer has been forgiven and regained his place among the host." Castiel said. "Your 'Book of Revelations' has been rendered void."

* * *

"Hello my son." The voice echoed in the angel's head. "It is time for you to return to the fold, you brothers have need of you."

Samandriel's eyes opened. "Father?"

"Yes Samandriel, it is I. I have brought you back as I did with Castiel many times." God said. "Many things have happened since you were last aware. The archangels have returned to heaven and you have many new brothers and sisters. But it is time now for you to take up your duties."

"Will I report to Naomi again?" Samandriel asked.

"Naomi is no more. Her actions in setting you against each other are not yet forgiven. She sealed her fate when she began using you as puppets to do her will. As she did in forcing Castiel to kill you." God explained. "Castiel's vessel was controlled by her, Castiel would never do you harm. What happened was not the action of Castiel."

"He has been forgiven?" Samandriel asked. "I am glad; Castiel's has always had such heart. I did not think that his actions were his own."

"Yes Castiel has been forgiven and he is not the only one. The Morningstar has also been welcomed home." God said.

"Lucifer is back?" Samandriel asked shocked.

"Yes, he is once again Michael's second and all four of the pillars of heaven once again take their place." God said. "But I have a specific duty for you. Heaven and hell are allied with each other and with the group of humans known as hunters. These allies have ambitiously thought to work together to train hunters. There will be young humans chosen for this training, you are young also Samandriel, these young people can relate to you. I am sending you to Michael. You will tell him that I have chosen you to counsel the young humans and to be their confidante."

"I am not allowed heaven, father?" Samandriel asked.

"You are free to come and go to bask in the presence of your family, but your place will be on Earth. You will not be alone; Gabriel, Castiel, Uriel and Balthazar will also be on Earth. You will have brothers to commune with there also." God smiled "Now go, your resurrection will bring much joy to Castiel, he wallows in grief and guilt for the actions he was forced to under Naomi's influence.'


	15. Chapter 15

Michael looked at the two young humans that Inias has brought to the office. And they were young although the girl especially carried herself with a maturity beyond her years. "You are friends of Sam and Dean Winchester?"

"Yes, we're hunters." Krissy said. "I met them when my father disappeared while hunting a vetala."

"Ah so like Sam and Dean, you are the child of a hunter. Your father must have taught you much." Michael said.

"Not really, I learned most of the how to kill things part from Sam and Dean, and then another hunter by the name of Victor Rogers." Krissy said. "We trusted him and then found out that he was using us to kill innocent people for a vampire. So I know you're supposed to be the head angel or something, but we want to see Sam and Dean."

Michael looked at the two for a moment. "I suppose that is a reasonable desire. Castiel will return with this soon. Until then perhaps you would like to take a short tour with me? I think that you will find what we are doing here…interesting."

Michael went and opened the door ushering the two young people out into the hallway. "Welcome to the world's first hunter's school."

* * *

"I do not understand why we are here? Are we not still supposed to be engaged in patrolling the town?" Verchiel asked as Jody parked the car in front of the small town diner.

"We are still working but humans need to eat." Jody explained. "And business owners like having us eat in their establishments. It's also another way to build trust."

Verchiel held open the door. "I do not understand this lack of trust among you."

"It's a human thing, it comes with free will." Jody said as she entered the diner and slid into a booth. "We can be jerks and we know all of our fellow humans can be just as big a jerk as we can."

"Well I don't think anyone will ever call you a jerk Jody Mills."

Jody looked up to see Benny standing by the table with a pad in his hand. "Benny, I was wondering where you had gotten off to. Dean said you had a personal issue."

The vampire gave a huge smile. "Elizabeth honey, come here a minute. There's someone that I want you to meet." Benny called to a young woman pouring coffee a few tables away. If possible his smile grew even wider as she approached. "This is my great granddaughter, Elizabeth. She's the new owner of this diner. Elizabeth, this is Sheriff Jody Mills and Undersheriff Verchiel."

The young woman smiled at them "Verchiel? Only one name, like Balthazar. Are you and angel too?"

"Balthazar is my brother." Verchiel answered. "You are acquainted with him?"

"Yes, He and Benny came down to Louisiana to get me and bring me here." She answered. "I've met a few others also. I don't know why Dean doesn't like you all."

"Dean's first meeting with them wasn't as friendly as yours was." Jody said. "But I'm guessing you haven't met Zachariah yet either. He is an assbutt as Castiel likes to say. Even the Devil is a sweetheart compared to him."

"The devil?" Elizabeth looked at Benny questioningly.

"She means Lucifer." Benny chuckled. "Either the guy has done a complete 180 or he's gotten a bad rap over the years."

"My brother is still just as condescending of humans as he has always been." Verchiel said. "He simply makes exceptions for a select few. But granted, he is no longer plotting to wipe your existence from the universe."

"Let's not talk about the apocalypse." Jody said as she picked up the menu. "Can I get a burger with a side salad and a sweet tea?"

"Sure thing." Elizabeth said and turned to Verchiel. "And for you?"

"I do not require sustenance." Verchiel answered."

"Bring him the same." Jody said. "You guys may not require sustenance but your vessels do."

"We maintain our vessels through grace; they have no need of food or drink." Verchiel explained.

"There's more to eating than just getting nutrients, there's also the flavor of what you eat; it tastes good. We like how certain foods taste and eating that food satisfies us in a way that has nothing to do with nutrition." Jody said. "Plus I've noticed something, some of you guys do eat, and they act a lot different than most of you."

"You have seen my siblings eat?" Verchiel asked. "But it is unnecessary!"

"Tell that to Gabriel when he sees something sweet. Or better yet, get between Balthazar and his Beluga Caviar." Jody said. "For that matter put one of Dean's bacon cheeseburgers in front of Castiel. Anyhow, they eat and they are much more relaxed that the rest of you. Maybe it's because their vessels are happier because they aren't hungry?"

"There is a certain logic to your thinking Jody Mills. I will eat." Verchiel said.

* * *

"I'm still trying to figure out why you don't have a problem with our son being a demon." John said the Winchester's (minus Sam who was still in hell with Lucifer overseeing the settling in of the nephilim) walked in the door to the bunker.

"Part demon." Mary corrected. "He's also destined to be a Guardian just like the rest of his family. Besides, knowing the purpose of hell now and the fact that Sam is a big part of hell filling its purpose, why shouldn't we both be proud of him?"

"Hell, demons you know the very things you were raised hunting? The things that I taught them to hunt and he's one of them." John said exasperated.

"Well, while you and Dean were busy taking advantage of Hell's liquor cabinet, I had a talk with Gabriel." Mary explained. "Hell was a part of God's plan, a place for the human souls who made the wrong choices in life to atone and be admitted into heaven."

"God intended all that?" John questioned. "I find it hard to swallow that he wants all this suffering."

"Mary Winchester speaks the truth." Castiel said appearing in front of the group. "In much the same way as a blacksmith uses a forge to heat and reheat a steel blade to remove imperfections, so hell was always meant to temper the human soul. Sam and Lucifer working together will remove the imperfections from those who fall short of their heavenly reward and allow them to be welcomed to their eternal home."

"It's hard to think of hell as something good when humans have thought of it as this place of suffering forever." Dean said.

"Not forever Dean, only since Dante Alighieri penned The Inferno. Before then you had no concept of hell." Castiel corrected. "But I was searching for you for a reason, a young woman named Krissy Chambers came looking for you. It seems that she and her companions crossed paths with one of Abaddon's 'immortal' creatures."

"Crap! Is she alright? Where is she?" Dean demanded.

"She and her companion were unharmed but another companion was lost, I believe they referred to her as Josephine?" Castiel said. "Inias has remained with them and taken them to Michael. I believe that our presence would be welcomed. Michael has no experience with young humans."

* * *

"Do you really think this is going to work?" Sam asked as he and Lucifer sat in the archangel's office.

"Of course it will. I have given Jack strict instructions to feed Karel information on Hadrian's movements." Lucifer smirked.

"We don't even know what Hadrian is doing, how do you expect Jack to give him updates?" Sam looked at Lucifer's smirk. "I thought you didn't lie?"

"I don't lie to you, everyone else is fair game." Lucifer's smirk grew even wider. "Anything he lets slip at this point is a bonus. We need to figure out what Hadrian's plan is. It will put us that much closer to figuring out what Abaddon's plans are, other than resurrecting herself and the rest of the nephilim."

"And what about Zora? Do you think we can convince her to help us?" Sam asked.

"I don't know that we can get her to actively help, but at least she won't help Hadrian either." Lucifer picked up two files and slid them into a desk drawer before locking it. Standing up he stretched. "Ready to go back?"

"Yeah, Ajax is probably having a fit by now wanting to go out." Sam said.

"I take it he's fitting in well, then?" Lucifer asked. "I wasn't sure how Dean would take it having a hellhound under foot."

Sam snorted. "Dean spoils him more than anyone else in the bunker, but he won't admit it. I caught him a couple of days ago grilling steaks and he happened to accidentally drop one on the floor for Ajax. Like we didn't know when he bought an extra one what was he was planning." Sam grinned as Lucifer let out a laugh. "We just let him live in his little fantasy world.

"That's probably for the best, Father forbid he have to admit to affection for a hellhound." Lucifer said.

Sam smirked "That would be worse than hell in Dean's mind."

Lucifer grinned as he and Sam appeared outside of the bunker. "I will check in with you later, Jack has instructions to contact you if anything comes up. Michael has been calling me for the past hour, it seems he needs to speak with me about some conspiracy between the two youngest Archangels."

"Gabriel and Raphael conspiring? Did I miss the blizzard in hell?" Sam asked.

"Believe it or not, those two were thick as thieves at one point." Lucifer said. "But i don't know of any case where there plotting was of major concern, more than likely Michael is overreacting. By the way Belarus is arranging for the keeper of the hounds to pay a visit to check up on Ajax."

"The keeper of the hounds?" Sam asked.

"Hell's version of a veterinarian. Normally hellhounds don't remain outside of hell for this long of a period. It's just a check up." Lucifer said.

"It's safe for him to be up here right?" Sam questioned concerned for his pet's health.

"It should be." Lucifer said. "But he still needs regular check ups."

The sound of an engine drew their attention as the Impala came to a stop next to them. "Get in Sam. We need to go to Michael's office. Krissy is here, they ran into a werewolf, one of those impossible to kill ones. Inias took her and Aiden to Michael."

"Crap!" Sam said as he opened the door and slid into the passenger side.


End file.
